All over again
by Krapo
Summary: Post war/ After war. NaruSaku. BETA READ. Sasuke come back, Team seven is reunited. But Sakura has lost Naruto. How will she make him fall in love with her again? What other difficulties lies ahead of them? Naruto X Sakura
1. Chapter 1

**CHAPTER CORRECTED THANKS TO SILKENDANSER**

 **I do not own NARUTO (or the story would have ended differently!)**

 _This story will be a slow publication (I didn't write the chapters in advance this time), I have not much time as I wished for it and my motivation is vanishing faster than a shooting star. So please, if you're interested by this story, review or else I will glady do something else than write for nothing._

 **All over again**

 _Post War. Naru/Saku_

 _ **Preface**_

 _After the Fourth Great Shinobi War, Sasuke departed for his trip of repentance_ _while_ _in the eyes of all_ _Naruto became hero of Konoha, Savior of the ninja world. It was officially announced that the blond was the Fourth Hokage's legacy, resulting in_ _Naruto_ _inheriting_ _of all of his parent_ _'_ _s_ _belongings_ _, p_ _roperty_ _,_ _and_ _the_ _house that_ _had_ _been sealed away since his birth._

 _Time continued to pass in Konoha with missions and daily life. Naruto studied hard to become a Jounin, his first step on the path to becoming Hokage; meanwhile_ _,_ _Sakura was promoted to head-medic in the hospital._

 _Naruto had grown up well, time definitely having been an ally to him. His final spurt of growth had been accompanied with his body filling up nicely with lithe and sculpted muscles. His face morphed_ _—abandoning his chubby cheeks of childhood to a more refined face with a very masculine jawline accentuated_ _by_ _his new haircut._

 _He had let Sakura cut his hair on a whim after she had tried one day to help him brush his mop of blond locks_ _, and complained that_ _she couldn't even pass a brush through the thick mane, let alone tame it_ _. A few days later, Naruto inherited a new nickname from his new Shihou, Tsunade Baa-chan. The busty woman humorously decided to call him "Honey" as girls began to flock around him like_ _bees to_ _honey. However, no matter how many girls declared their love to the village's hero,_ _Naruto's_ _heart was unmovable._ _The blond ninja_ _was—_ _and forever would be—_ _in love with Sakura_ _. A love he kept_ _in total secrecy, hidden deep in his heart._

 _Naruto_ _had known that he may have won against Sasuke in their final battle, but he lost_ _her_ _to the dark-haired ninja without a fight, her happiness being more important than his own desire. Since then,_ _the tailed-beast's master_ _decided to love her in silence. Sakura_ _was now his eternal best friend_ _, their closeness growing_ _more with each passing year_ _, and_ _Naruto was happy with it_ _—or, at_ _least, he thought he was._

 _Four years_ _had passed after the war, without any news of Sasuke. Then, one day, the man just came back._

 _Being the former rogue ninja he was, Sasuke lost all right_ _s to be officially called a ninja_ _a long time ago_ _. His stay in the village caused an uproar within the council members. However, as future Hokage, the blond pleaded the case of his friend and it was granted. Sasuke was allowed to have his former ninja registration number back to go on missions again, reco_ _gnized, as he was, as_ _a_ _powerful asset to add to Konoha's military force_ _. But, it was_ _on_ _one condition. Sasuke would be under Naruto's supervision, and they would have to live together._ _And that was_ _how the two of them became housemates._

 _It had been a couple of months since Sasuke came back_ _to_ _Konoha, and Team Seven had adjusted to its fourth member. The relationship between the_ _members of his former team_ _were always very 'entertaining' for the Sixth Hokage,_ _as there was never a_ _day without one of them bickering with one another._

 _Kakashi_ _had_ _tried every possible formation depending of each_ _one's_ _availabilities: Naruto-Sakura-Sai, Naruto-Sasuke-Sai, Naruto-Sakura-Sasuke_ _._ _But whatever three-man team he came up with, there was always something: the strange friendship/love between Naruto and Sakura that was making their relationship look like some_ _sort of masochistic_ _romance, the eternal rivalry/brotherhood relationship between Naruto and Sasuke_ _that led_ _them_ _to_ _behave like school kids fighting. And, if_ _those dynamics weren't enough, there was the_ _jealousy between Sasuke and Sai competing for Naruto's friendship. The worst was when the silver-haired Hokage had to send a_ _ll four of them_ _together on a mission_ _… it_ _was really a pain in the ass._

 _ **Chap 1:**_ _ **One step forward**_

Sasuke could be called emotionless, composed, and discreet in just about every aspect of his life, except for one matter: his actual housemate. The former rogue ninja had dealt calmly with his exuberant team Taka for years, and he had thought that living with Naruto, the man he could call his brother, wouldn't be that difficult. But he was wrong! The blond ninja always did some little thing that was able to push his patience close to the edge. It wasn't that he didn't like the blond anymore. Far from it. Living with Naruto was so different from living alone in the Uchiha compound; it was… warm. The house was always a nice and a welcoming sight to him, and it would be the perfect living arrangement, if it weren't for the fact that they were like a cat and dog, opposite in nearly everything.

That was how this morning, again, they were at each other's throat.

Sakura opened the door to Naruto's house and found them on the floor. Sasuke was strangling Naruto while the blond was crunching the former rogue ninja's face with his foot, and both were still clad in their pajamas. She sighed at the scene, shaking her head with amusement and exasperation. One second the two men were the best of friends ever, and the next they stopped behaving like normal young adults and reverted back to their twelve-year-old selves. The pinkette walked over to Naruto and grabbed his ear to make him stop.

"When do you plan on growing up?" she berated the blond, making him stand up.

"Aaeeii! Sakura-chan! Why am I always the only one to get scolded? Sasuke's the one who started it!" Naruto whined.

Sakura gave him a reproachful glare. "Sasuke is Sasuke! Leave him alone and he'll be as quiet as a tomb! You're the next Hokage! You need to learn to behave according to your status!" The pinkette lectured him, waving her finger in front of his nose in a very teacher-like manner. The sight was funny, to have this tall and strong blond man pouting like a child, getting thoroughly scolded by a delicate, petite woman a foot shorter than he.

Naruto bit his lips guiltily. He knew he was wrong. He didn't even remember what the subject of today's argument was. Since Sasuke's return, he couldn't get over his jealousy toward the black-haired ninja. It stirred his guts up over almost everything Sasuke did, prompting him to search for any opportunity to fight—even over petty things. It wasn't his fault, though! Even if he had decided to give up on Sakura to let her be happy, it wasn't like his heart accepted his choice.

Sasuke was like a brother to him, and he loved living with the dark-haired man so much. Life was much more interesting with his old buddy back. They would come home together, eat together, train together. It was fun; he never felt lonely anymore. He didn't have to suffer through anymore nights when everybody went back home and left him all alone in his big house. Now, every day when he looked at Sasuke's face first thing in the morning, a bubble of happiness would grow in his chest. However, the next second Naruto would remember that his 'brother' was also Sakura's love interest and the bubble would burst, changing into an urge to punch the man. That was how life was currently going for them.

Sasuke glanced at the couple. A disturbing feeling lingered in the back of his mind. Sakura had openly declared her love to him so many times when they were kids that he could not count them. She had reiterated it at the end of the war and had more subtly suggested it before he left for his repentance journey. Four years later, the situation had changed. The pinkette was no longer his little fangirl and he liked her quite a bit more for that.

But, that wasn't the subject of his troubling emotion; what truly annoyed him was the proximity that the girl shared with Naruto. The worst part of this aggravation was that he wasn't jealous of the blond for having attracted her interest, instead it was a mix between a desire to monopolize the blond and total frustration at their infuriating blindness. Those two were circling around each other, with Naruto trying his best to hide his obvious love for her, and her being in the last stage of utmost denial. They were both annoying.

Sasuke sat back at his place to continue his breakfast. With those two, the best course of action was to ignore them. He began to dig in to his rice, letting his 'brother' continue to get scolded. He could have interfered, but the Uchiha preferred to enjoy his peace for as long as possible.

Soon enough his teammates joined him at the table. The dark-haired man discreetly looked at her as she sat at her usual spot. Sakura came on a regular basis, so there was nothing new in her showing up for breakfast and scolding Naruto. Since his first day living with Naruto, he discovered that the pinkette had her own key and that she was clearly nearly living with them. When Sasuke had accepted the deal to stay with Naruto, he never had imagined that she would be part of their family, too. It made him feel a little envious of their bond, of their complicity. Sasuke never had been one who liked to share the people precious to him. If he could, he would keep Naruto just for himself.

Naruto was happily chatting with the pinkette, telling her about some of his gardening activity, some new flower he added to something the blond called her medicinal garden. Sasuke listened distractedly to Naruto's explanation. He wasn't jealous of it; after all, the other day Naruto told him something similar about tomato plants that he was nurturing for him. So, there was nothing special in it, Naruto just loved gardening.

The girl smiled at Naruto, ruffling his hair gently and thanking him for this new flower, and the blond's face lit up in a way only she was able to make happen. Sasuke observed them from the corner of his eyes; she had to be blind if she didn't realize Naruto's feelings by now. The silent Uchiha glanced at her as Naruto withdrew again, obviously taking the excuse of searching for something to drink to have some time to bury his love that threatened to overflow.

The door rang, distracting the dark-haired man from his previous observation. "If it's a girl again, I'll kill you!" Sasuke growled irritably.

"They're nice to me... and they always bring us food... why are you so upset?" the blond argued, reappearing from the kitchen.

Sakura narrowed her eyes toward the door, lips pinched in an unconscious gesture. She stopped her best friend, offering to deal with their morning visitor while he finished his breakfast. Her footsteps were heavy, close to stomping, denoting her aggravated state. Sasuke's eyes switched to his best friend. Naruto sat to continue eating unfazed, unaware of the evident sign of her jealousy. Only Naruto was clueless enough to miss the obvious signs in her demeanor.

Sakura jerked open the door, glaring daggers at the supposed insolent girl that came chasing after her teammates. Her expression morphed into one of surprise when she saw that in front of her stood the lazy Nara, a cigarette in between his lips. The strategist released a cloud of smoke before greeting her and stepping inside with familiarity to join the group at the table.

Sasuke frowned. Sakura, he could tolerate, but Sai or Shikamaru were another business. The two guys were patently hostile toward him and they were too close to Naruto for his liking. The Nara heir had kept a suspicious attitude since his return to Konoha, and the Uchiha felt rather irritable about being constantly evaluated under the glare of the strategist.

"All of you are here... perfect. You have a mission and you're needed at the Hokage tower," Shikamaru informed them.

XXXXXXX

Naruto was jumping fast, opening the way for his two teammates for this mission. Sakura was close behind the blond, not losing in endurance to her best friend, and Sasuke was at the rear, keeping an eye on any potential threat from behind.

With his enhanced senses in Sage mode, Naruto felt a disturbance in a village on their path to the location of their mission. Something in the air brought a dreadful feeling to his gut and the blond pushed his legs harder, forcing them to quicken their pace again. His teammates followed him, trusting their best friend blindly. Trees, leaves, branches –the forest was a blur as their speed increased.

A chill ran up the blond's back as he gracefully landed in front of what had once been a village. Nothing was left standing, the entire village burned to a crisp. Bodies littered the dirt, skin darker than charcoal of what remained of those poor souls, their faces torn in an ultimate grimace of pain. Sakura's fingers clenched tighter on Naruto's arm as she spotted what could have been a little girl not older than five-years-old. The blond gently squeezed her hand in a comforting gesture and she nodded.

Then the team dispersed to explore the debris of the place. The nauseous smell of death lingered all around them. Old, young, men and women alike, even children, not a single person survived. Naruto's jaw tensed as he freed a body from a woman's arms that had seemed unburned, but the baby had certainly suffocated with the smoke. The mother in a desperate attempt had shielded her newborn with her body. A lump formed in his throat, taking the infant in his hands. _So little!_ At the sight, his heart constricted and his eyes watered.

Sasuke walked to the immobile form of his friend. He glanced over the blond's shoulder and called him to pull him out of his stupor.

"Naruto. I sent a message to the Hokage to inform him of the situation of this village. A team will come to take care of the site." Sasuke's tone was emotionless, cold, as a man that had already seen the depths of hell.

The blond placed the baby back in his mother's arms. Sasuke silently observed his best friend standing up. Naruto was so compassionate that even he couldn't stay insensible in front of such a display. Naruto's heart was his strongest asset and his biggest weakness at the same time. He saw the blond's contrite face and instinctively, Sasuke poked Naruto on the forehead.

"Pull yourself together, Dobe!"

Naruto rubbed the spot with a frown on his face. "Teme, are you picking a fight with this habit of yours of poking my forehead?"

Sasuke, desperate, sighed at his dense companion. "Forget it, idiot. Let's get going; there's nothing we can do here."

The blond followed his teammate and joined Sakura at the exit of the village. The pinkette harbored the same sad look as Naruto, and the blond forced a smile to cheer up his teammate.

"Did you find anything?" Sasuke asked her, his tone a little harsher than it normally should have been. His guts were churning over a disturbing feeling caused by Naruto's interaction with her.

She shook her head dejectedly and Naruto wanted to punch his best friend for bringing such an expression to Sakura's face, when he'd only just barely managed to bring back the ghost of a smile to her lovely lips.

Afterward, they continued moving forward toward the location of their mission, an old fortress where they were supposed to retrieve an old talisman. They estimated that they would need one more day to arrive, and so, later that night, they established their campsite in the protection of a limestone quarry.

All the way from the destroyed village, the atmosphere had been morose and silent. Naruto's emotions were mixed up between his anger over the atrocious crime on the village, his lingering jealousy and irritation toward Sasuke, and the pain from seeing Sakura's gloomy mood. All of it blew out, as expected, at the first spark between the two men.

It began with a punch and soon enough, they were both bleeding sufficiently that Sakura separating them forcefully.

Naruto left by himself to cool his head; he didn't feel like seeing Sakura taking care of the Uchiha. The bastard deserved his punch this time. Why did Sakura fall in love with such a jerk that kept talking to her so grimly? It was beyond his comprehension.

Sasuke stared at the retreating back of his best friend as Sakura was mending his split lip with some healing chakra. Without looking at her, he growled irritably, her presence stirring in him some unfathomable emotions.

"Don't be angry at Naruto, he's not like that normally...I'm sure he must already feel guilty," Sakura told him, gently patting his bruised jaw with a cream to help with the healing.

The dark-haired man glanced at her from the corner of his eyes. He didn't hate her, but he suspected she was the cause of Naruto's strange behavior towards him. The blond was different, unbalanced, every time she was involved in something. They were happy together just the two of them in their house. It was as if her invasive presence was disrupting their relationship. The blond sometimes voluntarily took a step back, erasing himself from the situation, or at the opposite end of the spectrum, he would suddenly become irrationally angry for no reason. It was all because of her, Sasuke was quite sure of it.

"You know, Sasuke-kun, Naruto likes you a lot… So much that I'm sometimes jealous of you," Sakura confessed with a tender smile. "We talked about you so much when you were away. You never left his thoughts." The pinkette stood up, dusting her skirt. "I'm going to find that idiot. It wouldn't be fair if I let Kurama heal him all by himself."

Sasuke snorted. He didn't dislike her; she was kind of his friend after all. "You both have a strange way of expressing your affection with punches."

"I never punched you!" Sakura retorted, outraged. She could admit that she had tried to kill him in the past, but that had been to stop him from sinking further into darkness, and save Naruto the pain of going after Sasuke because of his promise.

The last Uchiha's eyebrow twitched in annoyance at her denial. Didn't she realize that he was talking about her and Naruto? _Better let them be…_ "Never mind!"

XXXX

Sakura found Naruto sitting on a rock, back toward her. "Did you come to scold me?" he asked her with a heavy-hearted voice. "You can punch me straight to Suna. I know... I'm an idiot!"

She didn't want to admonish him when he looked already so crestfallen. "Do you want to talk to me about it?" the pinkette softly offered, attempting to heal his face with her chakra activated hand.

Naruto shook his head, pushing away her hand before standing up and taking a step away from her. "It's fine, you should go back to Sasuke, it'll heal by itself. It doesn't even hurt," the jinchuriki mumbled feebly.

He was feeling drained, so drained from hiding all his love, so drained from carrying it around for so long. There were days Naruto wished so hard that he'd never fallen for her, maybe his life would have been simpler without this weight on his chest.

Sakura frowned. She hated it when he distanced himself from her, avoiding her eyes like he was doing right now. Naruto had never been the kind of coward to lower his gaze. She stood up as well and forcefully grabbed his shirt, bringing his face at few mere inches away from hers.

"Tell me this instant, Naruto Uzumaki!" the pinkette ordered authoritatively.

Naruto sighed at the sight of her. She was so beautiful when she was angry and he was too emotionally exhausted to lie at that moment. "I planned to take my feelings to the grave, but if you're insisting so much to know… I'm tired of lying anyway. I love you!"

 **To be blunt, I will be waiting for your review to decide if I should publish the next chapter and write the other. Your reactions, comment will be the main reason if this story will be abandoned, short or long.  
**

 **So if you like it and want more, review!**


	2. Chapter 2

**CHAPTER CORRECTED THANKS TO SAVAGEHUNGER 47 FOR BETA READING IT**

 _EziogreatNaruto: NaruSaku romance is always on my mind, thank you_

 _Jeremy: sorry for the wait, hope you will like it! thanks_

 _RigbyDaSon27: thank you very much!_

 _justinrocksit: thanks_

 _JaniBeccharell: thanks_

 _burt: It will be a slow release but I will try to hang on_

 _guest: don't give up on this story too soon, I'm preparing a twist._

 _Touken:thank you very much. the update for this story will be slow (I don't have much free time to write unfortunately, i'm doing my best with my availability). But it always take me a lot of time to write each chapter. It's a long process for me. sorry for the wait. thanks for the review_

 _LegendaryWriterS: it was on purpose that I made Sasuke charactere to be on the edge between friendship and something more. But if you have some recommandation I would be glad to hear them. For other couple, it will depend how motivated I am to write. This story is already a monster in my head (too much chapter to write, and I might want to cut short few of them to lessen my pain). So, if I am in the mood, yes, otherwise, it might be just a mention of the update, it will be slow. Thank you_

 _guest: It was more a breakdown than him being forward. But yeah the result is the same, he confessed! hehe. thank you_

 _Troa95: This story is here because of you and your support. Thank you for being here with me._

 _crazyprankster1991: thank you... soon will be very relatif with this story. I think at best it will be every two weeks and more likely three... sorry for the wait._

 _Yojimbra: did you catch a cold or is my story soporific? (I had to search on internet what was nyquil, not sure I got your message right)_

 _Uzumaki16: Sorry this story might begin fast for me to have some solid this to break down. I hope you will hang on a little longer. thanks_

 _AquaRules: You will see why in chapter 3 she was in denial, but for now enjoy the reaction. thank you_

 _Eddie shadow: I have try to begin on a light tone, and the emotions will change chapter after chapter._

 _Naru285: thanks_

 _Kimiss:thank you, i Hope you will like the next too._

 _LimJJ: thanks_

 _Jeanera Targaryen: as you said, it was a prologue to put some base in between their messy relationship. thanks_

 _aize28: thanks_

 _guest: soon will be 2 to 3 weeks I think... sorry for the delay_

 _xblackhunterx: actually Naruto already love her (everybody knew it except her) and her... you will see. (chapter 3) thanks_

 _XxAshishxX: there will be some twist, so be ready for a long ride. I hope you will like it. thanks_

 _LaDdraig: thank you!_

 ** _I am sorry for the delay. I am not completely satisfied with chapter two, but I couldn't pinpoint what was missing. Be patient for some more answers, they might arrive in chapter 3. I hope you will like the chapter anyway!_**

 _ **Chap 2: Ghost of a breath**_

 _REMINDER:_

 _Naruto sighed at her sight. She was so beautiful when she was angry and he was too emotionally exhausted to lie at that moment. "I planned to take my feelings to the grave, but if you're insisting so much to know… I'm tired of lying anyway… I love you!"_

XXXX

Sakura gaped like a fish out of the water, her eyes exaggeratedly wide as they fixated on the man she called her best friend. She felt dizzy... or maybe lost? She didn't see this blow coming, and she didn't understand what happened. _We're friends, best friends! Why?_

Naruto had already lowered his eyes, turning his head slightly to the side. His last words resonated in her ears like a distant echo. The sound of his voice faded slowly, carving itself into the most remote parts of her consciousness. She blinked—dumbfounded, before she regained her footing. Her eyes roamed over his face. His features were contrite. His jaw noticeably clenched.

 _After all the years' they'd been together..._ She didn't understand. Naruto was her teammate, her confident, her most trustworthy friend... he was closer than a brother could be. _Were all those years a lie? This is ridiculous!_ Her emotions swirled in her belly like a tornado. _Why is he doing this?_

She was confused... _Worse_! She was angry!

The man she had known all her life—someone she thought of as her very precious person—was playing a prank on her. She lashed out in fury. Her fist hit his gut harder than she had intended. His body flew like a like canon ball and slammed into the trunk of a centenary tree with a loud thud. The leaves shook, creating a light buzz as they danced from the unexpected, forced vibration. Birds took flight—escaping in fright—flipping their wings hastily and squawking with anger and fear. Naruto's body lay slumped at the roots. He didn't move, his head was bent down, his eyes hidden in an indulgent shadow.

Sakura marched toward her best friend, anger seeped through with each stomp of her feet, a small veil of dust followed behind her. Her petite hands grabbed his collar ferociously, and she lifted him until they were the same eye level. He continued to avoid her gaze, looking off to the side, seeming to be fascinated by the rocks on the ground.

Naruto didn't try to defend himself from her anger. He didn't give any justification for his actions, nor could he even grace her with an apologetic smile. A tremor ran down her spine, leaving her feeling restless in front of this mute version of the man she thought she had known. The pinkette wanted to punch him again, to shake him, to... to... to pull him out of this farce!

Sakura shook him sharply before furiously saying, "What's the meaning of this Naruto?" She jolted him again to try to make him react—to give her anything other than this dull indifference.

 _This is not Naruto!_ "Are you in shock? Is it because of the burned village?"

Naruto snorted.

She snapped, enraged. "Explain yourself to me this instant!"

"What's to explain?" he muttered nonchalantly. _Wasn't it obvious?_

Sakura fumed at his behavior, and she was acting completely unlike herself because of him. Her teeth hurt from how badly they were clenched. Her need for wrath clawed for freedom just under her skin. Her eyes—ablaze with fury—bore a hole into his skull as if she was trying to read his mind. Her grip tightened, her fingers creasing the material of his jacket, a little more and she might tear it apart if he continued to keep up his charade of indifference. _How could he? How dare he? After so many years!_

There was only reason as to why Naruto 'confessed' his love for her. The pinkette's reply came out forcefully—more violent than a slap, shaking Naruto to the core. "Leave me out of your petty rivalry with Sasuke! Don't try to make up stories just so you won't lose to him."

 _Petty rivalry?_ Naruto turned his head towards her. Everything felt like it was in slow motion. His eyes were wide as he looked straight at the woman in front of him. A shiver ran across his skin as if electricity were passing through his body. He stood up tall, towering over Sakura, his muscles tensed. Not a single breath escaped his pinched lips, the muscles in his jaw twitched as he listened to her nonsense.

 _Does she really believe what she's saying?_ His words were stuck, trapped in his constricted throat. All his guilty feelings innate from his forbidden confession evaporating in clouds of anger.

 _Make up stories? This is what she thinks my love for her is?_ His eyes narrowed dangerously as he continued to listen to her rambling. _I say I love her, but all she can think about is Sasuke?_ _Everything is_ _always_ _just for Sasuke?!_

Naruto snapped.

His fingers dug into her arms as he sized her forcibly. There was a light of madness in the depth of his gaze, a whirlpool of emotions swirling in the ragging ocean of his eyes. So many words were rotating in all direction in his head, like the chakra in his rasengan, and not one dared to pass the barrier over his mouth. _Should he say more? Should he deny it all? Or should he risk everything and throw away their treasured friendship?_

Jade eyes studied him, gauging each of his reactions. Naruto was furious, but didn't refute. Was he such a bad loser that he didn't know when to quit? Everything was always about Sasuke nowadays, so much so, that a part of her wondered if there wasn't a bit more behind it than just their rivalry. She huffed, she didn't want to let herself get dragged into her teammates quarrel. Naruto and Sasuke were both important to her and she knew exactly where she stood with them. She was Sasuke's teammate and Naruto was her precious friend.

"I know pretty well your feelings toward me, they were clear since that day in the land of Iron*. There is no need to lie just because Sasuke is back and..." Sakura began but stopped, cut short as his voice whirled around her soul like a freezing wind.

His tone was harsh and low as he spoke, "Do you really believe what you're saying? Do you think I would lie about my feelings?" Naruto spat indignant.

Sakura suddenly realized how close they were, their bodies nearly touching. She realized how small she was in comparison of him and how their faces were just an inch away. They were nearly nose-to-nose. She'd never felt so vulnerable in front of Naruto before. Never, as he always had this gentleness around him for all of his friends. She never felt in danger with him, because of their strong teammates bond that they shared to protect each other against all odds.

Sakura even wondered if she had ever seen her teammate angry at her, like, truly angry. However, now Naruto was slightly trembling, and not from fear. A dreadful surge of energy was coursing through him and she didn't need to be a chakra sensor to feel it.

A shudder ran through her, and instinctively Sakura tried to take a step backward, trying to pull her arms free from his tight hold. But, his grip was too strong, too powerful, as was the force of his gaze piercing into her in that instant. The pinkette huffed again, trying to keep in control, and feigning like she was not impressed by his attitude. She wasn't wrong. She couldn't. The situation was just so absurd. How did they arrived at that point?

"Naruto, listen. I know Sasuke isn't always easy to deal with, but you don't have to be so childish to the point of involving me into your fight," Sakura argued while squirting around to break his hold.

Naruto was so mad, so mad at her for belittling his confession, so mad that all her thoughts were always about Sasuke. A force inside his brain unlocked when he heard her last statement. He didn't know if he could control his body. He didn't know what he wanted exactly in that second, maybe he just wanted to prove her wrong. His limbs just moved on their own freewill. Naruto just stopped himself, however, before taking that last leap into forbidden territory.

Her breath pushed out of her lungs, as, in a swift movement, her teammate switched position and pinned her against the tree. His face looked threateningly as he towered above her, his breath was so close that she could feel the light warmth of it breeze across her skin. Eyes wide, Sakura could only stare in surprise at her teammate after this unexpected turn of events. He had moved at such a dazzling speed that she had been unable to block his attack. She felt paralyzed, like prey, with his face just above hers, his pupil slightly dilated, and all his muscles firmly holding her against the rough surface of the trunk.

Naruto was like a dangerous predator, releasing a form of erotic energy before a kill, sensual and magnetic with fluid and precise movements. She had seen him so many times in missions, his body tensed and ready to attack, mesmerizing in his unique form of power oozing from him. A silent witness, she had enjoyed observing his profile when he was focus, his piercing blue eyes narrowing slightly, and imperceptibly his weight shifting forward waiting for the perfect moment to swoop on his enemy. Naruto was dangerous, bewitching and dangerous.

Sakura had known it, being his teammate for half of her life. She had been in a first-rate position to see him growing up in every sense possible. Her best friend had become all what was best that a shinobi could be. With his unrivaled kind heart, enough power to make an army tremble, and unexpectedly more cleverness that she could ever have imagined coming from him. Naruto was enthralling, in everything that he was, more than that, he was an opponent that nobody in his right mind would want to challenge.

However... She was not any simple kunoichi herself.

With defiance in her glare, Sakura straightened her spine as much as she could, taking a more appropriate posture to leave nothing in her demeanor to suggest fear, and throw an open invitation of challenge. She suppressed a slight shudder as those piercing blue eyes continued to stare down at her. Something in her belly seemed to awaken as Naruto looked at her, something she didn't want to define or acknowledge.

She pushed the thought away, being a full-fledged kunoichi, she had learned to tame all forms of emotions. She was no longer a carefree teenager who would hesitated in a battle, the war had changed her long ago. She had changed along with him, the same man who was standing in front of her, the now familiar stranger who'd decided today to play with their unbreakable friendship.

Naruto would have preferred to never notice it, to never understand anything about her, to not know her more than she did herself. He would have preferred... to never have loved her in the first place... If only he didn't love her so much. He would have ignored the little voice, the pain in his heart, the soundless shattering of his soul. All his anger deflated, losing all purpose. _She doesn't believe me. She doesn't want to believe me... Very well! I'll bury all this nonsenses and smile like nothing happened. I'll lie. For her sake...I'll lie…_

He sighed, a sigh long and heavy. A sigh of a man who'd known pain for a thousand years.

His gaze shifted to the side, refusing to look at her in the eyes to serve her those comforting words which would solve everything between them. The harmless excuses which would bring back their world into this immovable friendship. She was his friend, his best friend... and he should be happy to have this much. It was enough, wasn't it?

Naruto stretched a small smile on his lips, a smile that didn't reach his eyes, a smile full of pain and regrets. His hands released their grip and slid along her slender arms until they reached her smaller hands. Gently, he tenderly squeezed them, trying to convey through this banal gesture how dear she was to him. Even though his heart writhed in his chest, crushing atrociously under the vicious ache of his love.

Naruto stayed silent a moment, gathering his courage or maybe strengthening the resolve of his cowardice, to do what he had to do to not risk destroying more of their friendship. His throat constricted slightly, his guts twisted in an infinity of small knots.

If only...

If only destiny could have been more kind with him. If only she had loved him just a little, an ounce... a drop of it...

If only...

His voice was soft, defeated when the word escaped past his lips, "Sorry..." The excuse came as a low and discreet as a murmur, far from his boisterous self. "Ignore it... I was out of my mind... I..."

He couldn't deny his love, it was a lie too big for him, he couldn't say such a profanity as 'I don't love you'. Naruto searched for something else to say, stumbling over so many words he could say, but didn't want to in his mind. The jinjuriki cleared his throat with a light growl, unsure, uncomfortable with himself.

"I shouldn't have say anything," he said. "We're just friend! Nothing's changed... Forget it! I'm an idiot!"

The tall blond tenderly took her in his arms and leaned down slightly to kiss her on the forehead. Whatever words he had uttered before, his lips were saying otherwise. There was so much love in that harmless gesture, an unconditional love, pure, infinite... Naruto wasn't expecting anything in return, he didn't even ask to be acknowledged. The war hero just offered his heart in sacrifice like a devout servant to his divinity, with blind faith and complete abandon.

Sakura felt paralyzed, unable to talk, think, or move as his lips landed on her skin in a delicate contact, almost ethereal, light as the butterfly, carrying so much feelings that she drowned in them. She was even more troubled now than ever after his surreal confession. The innocent kiss had totally disarmed her. The young woman was standing clueless, lost, in this war without weapons to fight with.

Her eyelashes fluttered, her eyes blinking absently as she just tried to command at least one of the muscles in her body to respond, just to try to see if her brain was still functioning. Sakura inhaled deeply, expanding her lungs with air to fill herself with freshness, to stop the feeling of dizziness, and the confusion running rampant in her mind. The little space between them wasn't allowing any movement without causing more intimate contact with him, so, as a result, her breasts pressed against his hard chest and her mind filled with a cruel revelation: her teammate had become a formidable man in all his vigor.

Naruto was sturdy and muscular, where her body was curvy and soft.

How did she manage to elude it for this long was a real mystery. But, there was no doubt, even with her superficial comparison, Naruto was a man with a man's hard body. A voice in the back of her mind whispered words that she refused to listen... Naruto was her childhood friend, she told herself. She couldn't continue to listen to her inner voice... whispering tempting words of a woman's want, and a woman's needs. It was insane...

All the while, Naruto rested his forehead against hers, as if to share with her his thoughts, to bring some closeness in their rattled friendship. He loved her... He loved her enough to not want to lose the friendship that existed between them. Naruto closed his eyes, restraining behind his eyelids all his wishes and hopes... there was no place in her life for those feelings. He had to accept it. He would just be her friend.

Sakura could feel his warm breath brush her skin with each exhale. He was so close. She was completely aware of their proximity in a way she struggled with herself to not admit. In the meanwhile, her heartbeat increased, thundering like a horse in full gallop.

 _Naruto is so close... his lips maybe an inch away... maybe less..._ _All she had to do was tilt her head up just a little and—_ The kunoichi wanted to smack her head to stop it from wandering in that unnecessary direction. _He's my best friend—my best friend!_ She mentally kicked her inner-self's ass to knock her out and lock her in some unreachable place, to not hear her perverted suggestions. Naruto was sexy, it was a glorious fact... and she didn't need her inner voice to remind her of those disturbing facts.

Had Naruto always been so warm? Or was she the one feeling hot?

The feel of his body nearly against hers, and this treacherous sensation blooming within her was making her restless—making her skin hypersensitive being in such close proximity to him. Her best friend was so much larger than her that she felt completely engulfed by his presence. Her breasts continued to press against his strong chest as she tried breathe to calm herself. It wasn't working. His closeness was shattering whatever peace that came to her mind. Unwanted butterflies were partying in her belly, destroying more of her concentration, and she thought that she might fall off balance, her knees suddenly becoming weak.

Her teammate exhaled loudly, and the mischievous warmth of his breath caressing her face reminded her again of the closeness of his lips...

 _His lips.._.

Sakura tightly closed her eyes, shoving away the improper lust awakening in her. _This is Naruto! Naruto!_ She stubbornly repeated to herself to suffocated the desire that should not be there. Her repeated chants that Naruto was her friend halted as the sound of his voice pierced though her defenses.

"I... I care so much about you... Forgive me...Please?" The light murmur danced in her ears, resonating through her mind, and the trailed echo revealed the implicit message within it. Her heart suddenly drummed louder and louder in her chest.

 _Naruto doesn't lie... Naruto never lies..._

 _He loves me..._

Her world was so well orchestrated. They had everything to be happy in the little routine they created. They had their friendship... their so precious friendship. She was recognized as a kunoichi. She was now the Head Medic. He was Konoha's pride and joy, the future Hokage. Even Sasuke came back, and they were now all together, safe and sound, the invincible Team 7, and...

 _Naruto loves me._

It fell on her like a rock to the head, this incredible truth which did not fit in her little world. She stayed aghast, dumbstruck by the shock of the discovery.

 _Naruto loves me... Sai wasn't wrong... It wasn't a male rivalry... all those years... all those years, all along, he's been here just right beside me..._

 _Beside me... always..._

A sullen sigh, heavy and thick, charged with all his regrets, escaped his tempting lips, pulling her out of her shock. And then his voice invaded her mind again, occupying every corner, seeping into each crack within her soul. _Naruto is apologizing for being in love with me? Or for saying he was in love with me?_

"We will never talk about it again. You're too important to me..." Naruto trailed off , letting the wind finish his imperceptible confession. His heart was bleeding, but he wasn't a child anymore to claim carelessly something that he knew was already fixed in stone. Why did he let his heart have the better of him? Tsunade-Baa-chan was right, he would not be ready to be the next Hokage if he couldn't hold his tongue in all situation. And this time, he clearly messed up, badly.

He chuckled miserably, trying to make the atmosphere less heavy.

"I swear... never again... and you know my motto..." Naruto offered on a forced lighter tone.

 _Naruto would never say it again... never..._

Sakura stopped breathing for a moment, as if by doing so she could stop the time itself. It was too abrupt, too definitive... She needed time to think...

XXXXX

 _* Sakura confessed to Naruto in the Land of Iron before trying to assassinate Sasuke._

 **Do not forget to review please!**

FOR THOSE WHO WANT MORE NARUSAKU STORIES (same author):

How I fell in love with my best friend

Dangerous infiltration mission


	3. Chapter 3

**CHAPTER CORRECTED THANKS TO SAVAGEHUNGER 47**

 _SunlitSky21: Sakura didn't deserve Naruto... he should be all mine (hahaha). No jokes, Sakura was an asshole as a kid but after she changed to be Naruto support. She saved is life, healed him (I even suspect her big motivation to learn healing was for him). Naruto is a too good man to be true. Nobody is worth enough for him (not even the sweet Hinata, who is in my taste too shy and boring for him). Sakura is the female with enough caractere to help him grow and the boy have love her since the begining (Mister never give up could not give up on her in my head... it is pure logic). And Damn Sasuke! The guy had try to kill her, no woman should end up with a guy who tried to kill her. Anyway, thank you very much for your review. I put a tone of effort in my writing to try to improve and I am glad that you liked it. For the grammar, it is a big thanks to my beat readers that are doing a great job for us. I hope you will continue to like the story and_ _I hope also that you will come to like NaruSaku._

 _andrejasontiemie: Thank you for your review and you english doesn't sucks (at least I didn't notice it). I hope you will come to like NaruSaku. For the developpement of the relation between team Seven, I can't tell you want happen, you have to read to discover it. I hope you will continue to read and like my story. If you're bored and don't know what to read while waiting for update, I have 2 others stories: How I fell in love with my best friend / Dangerous infiltration mission (my english evolve slowly in between my stories... english is not my first langage). Thank you very much and see you soon I hope._

 _eight heroes: Thank you for your review, sorry for the delay, as I have said before, it will be a slow update on this fic. I hope you will continue to like it._

 _BBWulf: thank you very much. I hope you will continnue to like it._

 _UzumakiDavis27: Thank you very much. I am glad to create such an intense reaction. I hope you will like the new chapter. sorry for the delay in updating._

 _Shu Ouma GC: Thank you very much! here the new chapter. I hope you will like it._

 _Aqua Rules: Stupid promise, but you will see where it lead... XD I hope you will like the new chapter. Thank you for being here!_

 _LegendaryWriterS: Thank you very much! It took me a while to put the words together. I hope on continuing to improve my writing. I hope you will like the new chapter too._

 _xblackxhunterx: thank you! Yeah reconizing that Naruto's love is real have a big importance on what will happen next. I hope you will like the outcome of it._

 _Troa95: No the fighting scene was one of the possibility of developpement of the chapter and I told you I removed it. But yeah there was quite a few change, the version you read was just a draft. I hope you will like the new chapter. Thank you so much to have supported me so much._

 _animeficfan: thank you! I hope you will continue to like it._

 _Elarmi: thank you!_ _I hope you will continue to like it._

 _Cutnshoot92: thank you!_ _I hope you will continue to like it._

 _ahmadaziz: Thank you! What can you suggest me about on how to change the summary (you can write to me in MP if you like). Yeah Naruto confession was necessary... all those chapter are just a setting for the real deal later. For the emotion of Naruto and Sakura, they are no more kids or teenager in my story, so it is normal for them to be more mature in my point of view. For Sakura reaction, you will understand in this chapter why she punched him when he confessed and why she denied his confession. For writing, I need motivation and my motivation are my readder. If you're with me and like my work.. I will work hard. Thank you so much for your support._

 **SORRY FOR THE DELAY IN UPDATING (life is busy). ENJOY YOUR READING!**

 **Reminder:** Naruto had confessed, Sakura as discarded his confession as being just a petty rivalry with Sasuke. Naruto understood that she didn't want his love and he promise to never talk about it again.

 _XXXX_

 _Naruto would never say it again... never..._

Sakura stopped breathing for a moment, as if by doing so she could stop the time itself. It was too abrupt, too definitive... She needed time to think...

 _ **Chap 3: Accept or forget**_

Another of his inviting warm breaths ghosted over her lips.

Sakura didn't think, she didn't have the time for that. It was now or never, and never was way too terrifying to not take this jump into the unknown. _Naruto loves me..._ She stood on the tip of her toes and erased the distance with her cherished best friend's lips.

Naruto broke off the kiss, startled, woolly-headed, and confused. His brain short circuiting from all the blood leaving his head for the more 'demanding' one between his legs. He wanted to say something, a word, a sound, _anything_. Naruto felt like he had to, considering his current situation.

However, his mouth didn't make it more than few inches away before a soft pair of lips followed his, and blindly crashed against his again. It was too much for him—for his poor heart _and_ his unbearable desires.

Tentatively, began to move his lips against hers and Sakura didn't push him away. His heart beat loudly in his chest, so strong that it was almost painful. The last bit of blood left his head, as his whole body began feeling incredibly alive and making him dizzy at the same time. His teeth grazed her plump bottom lip, before soothing any harm he may have made with a timid brush of his tongue. Her mouth responded so shyly against his that he didn't realize she was responding until she slightly parted her lips—an invitation to let him conquer more of her sweetness. Longing and deep desires stirred in his gut, and soon he invaded her with his wet appendage.

The kiss turned ravenous. If he died in the next instant, he would have no regrets. He slanted his lips against hers with passion, with a total abandon, as if death was already embracing his soul. There was no thought, just a need, a tyrannical, powerful... an irrepressible need to kiss her. A part of him wanted to bite her, hurt her as much as he had been hurt—only part of him—, because Naruto couldn't bring himself to do her any harm.

The forcefulness of his kiss softened. His lips on hers became gentler. In no time, there was peace in this contact. He wanted to bask in this sensation, relish in the feeling to just be with her. His heart constricted. It was like approaching heaven and staying at the door. Forever looking in, but forbidden from entering to experience the happiness just within his reach.

He wanted so much more...

Could he? Just once, could he reach for that happiness?

Sakura's mind spun in circles. She wasn't sure what was going on, she completely lost control of the situation and herself. Was a kiss supposed to have this much of an effect on her? She was lightheaded, sinking— _drowning_ in sensations bigger than her. Her body was getting hotter and hotter, and being this close to him was not helping at all.

 _His teeth... His mouth..._

Her body trembled. Naruto was devouring her and she loved it. He was avid, his never-ending assaults taking wolfish form, and she felt desired, desired like she never felt in her life. It was exhilarating. His tongue invaded her like a strong conqueror, it pressed against hers, twirled and rubbed. She didn't know what to do at first. It was strange to have this foreign appendage probing inside her mouth. Wet and weird, but not unpleasant... Quite the opposite in fact... There were these feelings bubbling more and more inside her, as well. Something deep in her core reacted to it, stirred as if it wanted to expend, an insanely strong need. His tongue kept exploring, inviting hers to play, and then the battle began.

Sakura instinctively knew what to do... 'Follow him!' It was what she was used to do all her life, after all. Followed him when he played his pranks... Followed him when they went on missions... Followed him when he pursued his dreams... Following him had always been the best thing to do.

And it felt right!

As soon as she started to play with him, responding to his kisses, battling to enter his mouth as much as Naruto was entering hers, the whole situation went out of hand. Her inner self broke free and unleashed within her a load of forbidden lust. All the things she kept silent, the things she had buried beneath moral, obligations, blindness, and illusions to preserve their comfortable and reassuring friendship. All these thoughts she had refused to acknowledge whenever _he_ was involved.

From the disturbing sensations she'd felt when she'd wake up from a nap after training, and find her head resting on his shoulder, to the trouble the summers brought because Naruto liked to run around half naked at home complaining over the heat. Not to mention the inappropriate reactions to his beaming smiles, or the condemnable desires that would bubble when his body accidentally pressed against hers when they sparred.

All those little things she had unknowingly, but carefully locked in a box securely, far away, in an unreachable part of her mind. Even this confession she had fenced in before she could understand the meaning of it—before it could shake the structure of their precious friendship. All of it overflowed like a torrent breaking the already cracked dam protecting her most secret emotions.

Sakura gasped for air, before plundering his lips again. Her heart pounded in her ears. She felt like swooning, so she wrapped her arms around his neck to keep from falling, and to get a better hold of him.

Drunk! She was drunk on him... completely intoxicated. All those pieces of whatever she had refused to name, carefully suppressed to keep their friendship unmoving, washed over her. She wanted _him!_

His tongue slid against hers, and her spine tingled violently with electricity. The micro discharges wildly ran on her skin, and deep into her core. Her blood boiled, her insides melted, and she felt herself burning over a fire she never experienced before as their bodies molded against each other, the space between them erased…

His large hands held her tight, and pressed against her with desperation. She felt desired... His fiery mouth discovered her, and she drowned in all his raw emotions, intense, and overwhelming love... vast and profound as a bottomless ocean. So much love that she lost herself in the middle of it, enthralled, by a spell stronger that her willpower... Sakura forfeited, giving herself over without struggle, just bathing in his excessive emotions... Accepting her love for once... _My love?! I love him…? Yes… I love Naruto._

Her heartbeat increased at a maddening pace as she mentally recognized the evident bulge against her belly. It was... unmistakably it... Hard as wood... and so... _big_... Was it really it? _Wasn't Sai always calling him dickless?_ _Why such a nickname when Naruto was obviously not small? Maybe she wasn't that ugly either..._ A main nerve reacted to this insight about her best friend virility and created an agitation in her whole body. An eruption of sensations made her oversensitive to all of _his_ movements, _his_ touches... _his_ kisses.

Her. Like that. With _him_. Pinned to a tree...

Instinctively, a part of her wanted more... She would be damned to admit it out loud, but she was excited, _really_ excited, by the man who was supposed to be her best friend.

Sakura was so overly aware of _him_. His hands on her, everywhere, probing, caressing, teasing her in a way that existed only in her most forbidden fantasies. His mouth didn't release hers for longer than it took to gulp in air between hungry kisses, and his... sex... this manifest expression of his virile arousal... appetent and puissant, awakened more of her condemned desires. Those sensations churned in her gut, fueled by the wicked uncensored whispers of her Inner-Sakura. She was losing all control over herself, and it was frightening. And she wanted more. She wanted _so much_ more... She wanted to...

 _Oh, God!_

The pinkette suddenly pushed him away from her with irrational violence. Naruto stumbled backward. A little disoriented, he tripped and fell on his butt, his face still flushed with excitement. Sakura slumped to the ground once she lost the support from his arms, and breathed hard to try to reign in her lust, afraid of the rattling truth that if she didn't stop now, nothing would stop her. She panted, drawing in short, quick breaths, trying, but unable to calm herself as her eyes stared transfixed on the man in front of her.

It was as if she was looking at Naruto for the first time in her life. Not like when she had look at him when they were children, with a form of curiosity over a scrawny kid who'd been pushed around by a mob of adults, while her father pulled her away from 'the kid she should not be around'. Not like when he became her teammate. Not even when he came back changed, but he was still the same Naruto after training with the famous Sannin, Jiraya.

After all those years, side-by-side, she was closer to him, and she was sure she knew him more than anyone else. And Sakura now saw him, not as her teammate, not as her best friend, but as a man. And for once, she was forced to acknowledge that her scraggy childhood friend was indeed a really sexy man. Her eyes roamed over him, from his swollen lips, along his solid neck where she could spot the erratic pulse of his heart, to his heaving broad chest hidden under his jacket. She bit her lips as her gaze arrived to the obvious very large bulge in his pants. It wasn't an illusion... It was _that_ big!

Naruto's groan attracted her attention, and Sakura looked up to his face. He was hiding his eyes, covering them with his arm, and she observed him in bewilderment as he wriggled around like he was possessed by demons for a few seconds. Then Sakura jolted in surprise as her teammate threw himself on the floor, forehead and palms on the grass, perfectly prostrated at her feet.

"SORRY, Sakura-chan! I don't know what happened to me! I-I lost it! … I shouldn't have kissed you! SORRY!" Naruto shouted desperately, hoping to be forgiven to have commit such a sin. He didn't know how he ended up doing it, how he hadn't been able to get a grip on himself, and how he most certainly would have forced himself on her if she hadn't pushed him away.

 _Oh, God! I completely lost it! I can't believe I kissed Sakura-chan... She will hate me now..._

Sakura lifted an eyebrow listening to his pleas, and felt a vein in her forehead twitch dangerously. _This Idiot! Doesn't he know how much courage I had needed to make the first step? And for what?_ _For him to apologize_ _thinking that he'd done everything on his own? Stealing away my efforts and refusing them at the same time...?_

She knocked his head with her fist, screaming, " _Idiot_! I kissed you!"

Naruto sat up, his face contorted in a slight grimace from pain, and rubbed the sore spot on his head. She had been less violent than he had expected. Then, finally, what she said permeated his mushy brain.

"Haahh?!"

His jaw comically dropped as much as his eyes widened, before Naruto shook his head a few times in disbelief, thinking he might have understood something wrongly. Sakura studied the different expressions cross his face, from doubt, disarray, to utterly perplexed, feeling her own cheeks burning more at each second at having confessed so bluntly.

"Wh-What? Why?" he stuttered not really grasping the situation. He was too confused to formulate a single proper thought, and was getting more and more angry as some undignified possibilities about why she would kiss him, and then throw him away the next instant emerged in his head.

Naruto frowned, his glare becoming cold and hard. "Is this a joke? Were you playing with me for some stupid punishment?"

The slap he received made him fall on his side. Naruto wiped the blood at the corner of his mouth with the back of his sleeve and locked eyes with her. She was furious... Maybe his choice of words wasn't the most judicious one, but he didn't back down, holding her stare with defiance. As much as he loved her, he wasn't about to tolerate this type of nasty game.

"Idiot!" Sakura hissed, frustrated and angry. Her hand had struck out faster than her brain could process. _Why does he have to say it like this?_ _Joke? Punishment?_ Her lips quivered as she felt guilty and hurt at his presumption. _Why does he have to think of me like that?_ She felt rejected again, like all those years ago. She felt as frozen as that terrible day, her feet rooted in the snow*, standing in front of him as he looked at her with the same angry glare, refusing her confession.

Seeing his angry face shattered a door she'd kept locked deep within herself, a pain she had prayed to never face again. A memory of when she had offered to be in a romantic relationship with him. A memory when he pushed away her embrace, letting her arms empty and her heart arid with loss.

She could never forget that day, when _he_ , too, had rejected her. That terrible day, she closed forever the door on her blossoming feelings for him, understanding that they were only friends, and also had not wanted another broken heart. Naruto was important to her, even more than Sasuke could have ever been, as her blond teammate had become this invariable presence at her side, caring, comforting, strengthening. She remembered how infuriated she had been at him to have mislead her with all his fake invitations for a date in the past, and even more at Sai for those stupid ideas about _his_ love.

However, Naruto never understood that she tried to kill Sasuke for him. That day, she had chosen _him_ over their long-lost teammate... in an attempt to protect him, even if Naruto saved her as usual in the end, proving his eternal loyal side to both of his teammates again.

There was no need for more explanation between them, no need to struggle, cry or scream. Life just continued the same as before. Naruto wasn't interested in her in that way, and soon the whole ordeal was forgotten as it never happened. Overlooked in the same manner he'd ignored Hinata's confession few months prior. After that, whenever someone in the village joked about her being his girlfriend, it would be brushed aside with a polite smile as if it was pure nonsense, and she never mistook again Naruto's kindness for anything else than it was, kindness. He was unambiguously the epitome of the best friend for her and to prove her correct assumption, she noted that he had stopped all suggestion of having a date with her.

How could she have guessed that he still loved her? And why couldn't he figure out by himself that he was important for her, too? That she couldn't stay indifferent to him? Why couldn't he accept her kiss as just what it was... A proof of love. She was furious at his stupidity and all their misunderstanding.

"I-I like you!" She choked on her words, letting her eyes drift to the floor and her face burn with shyness. This idiot would certainly kill her from embarrassment with his imperishable clueless attitude of his. But better to be direct than to be misinterpreted again, after all, the boy still thought the girls flocking around him were just grateful for his deeds during the war. _Baka, Naruto!_

Silence.

Few seconds passed without them moving or uttering a single word. She shyly glanced up at him and sobered immediately. He was frowning, staring daggers at her with a disapproving look.

"What's up with you? I don't understand! Tss!" Naruto ruffled his hair with a nervous hand. "Sasuke..." He sighed, "Sasuke is back... He's back!" he nearly shouted trying to make his point come through. _It hurts... It's unfair... Why did she say such a horrible lie to me?_

"Yeah, I know pretty well that Sasuke is back. What's the change?" she taunted with a challenging glare, straightening her posture to sit a little taller. Determined green pearls locked with the tormented blue eyes. "He never liked me, not even a little..."

Sakura laughed at herself for her previous foolishness. Naruto opened his mouth to say something, sitting back to be at her level, but she cut him off, lifting a hand to silent him. She wasn't done yet. She needed to empty her baggage, and she would certainly bite her tongue to save whatever was left of her pride if she didn't continue now, her courage disappearing faster than a shouting star.

"I tried... You know it, too. I pursued him when we were kids, loved him to the point of madness, hoped that he will see me once he left his darkness. But, he just came back as my teammate, nothing more. I have never been more to him than this... his teammate." Her expression turned sour at the memories and the pain, before washing those bitter emotions away with the ghost of a smile at her next admittance, "I gave up! I'm not like you...I gave up!"

Her smile stretched more, making her look impossibly more adorable, in his point of view. "My actual life was enough to make me happy..." Her gaze turned to the side, not able to hold on his while revealing the remnant of her secrets, the things she swore to herself to never talk to anyone, him the least. "My life with you... our teamwork, our laughs, our peaceful days in Konoha... our fights, too." _All of those are my most cherished memories._

Her face turned serious, focusing on a leaf crunched and teared apart on the ground. She was the same as that leaf, her heart so broken that she had thought that she didn't need _love_ , but she needed _him_.

"I survived all the pain Sasuke put on my heart though, the war, the doubt, the loneliness. Because you were by my side, always..." her tone was lowered, her voice wavering at the end. A tear slid down her cheek and she was powerless to stop it from falling. She hoped he wouldn't notice the treacherous drop of water, but doubted it, considering his intense stare.

His hand was warm and soft as his fingers carefully dried the wet trail on her skin. Sakura refused to look at him, she couldn't, so sure that she would just break in an undignified bundle of sobs against his chest if she dared just one glance. She didn't need to look at him to know exactly how gentle his gaze was. She was a mess, all her emotions were mixed up, conflicted, between the risk of losing their friendship and her regret to never have gave in her feelings. She sniffled, trying to get a grip on herself. _He loved me, all this time... idiot!_

"You were with me... in joy and sorrow... you, and no one else but you, was enough. Don't tell me Sasuke could be anything close to me as much as you are... We barely saw him these last ten years. He is our teammate, for sure, an important friend to you, I agree. But, don't shove me this 'Sasuke is back' again when I confess my feelings for you!" she angrily retorted lifting her eyes brimming with tears up at him. "If you love me as you said earlier... if it's not a joke or prank... then accept my confession as well. Otherwise, forget about it, but stay with me forever... I don't need more than you by my side, Naruto Uzumaki."

Naruto's heart leaped in his chest, and slammed against his ribcage as if trying to break through the bones to jump to her. He stayed immobile for a few seconds, aghast from the incredible turn of even. An intense wind was building up in his body, blowing over his despair as if it had been just insignificant grains of dust. His pain, and the cold prison caging his heart, melted in the spring she was offering him. It was impossible... Impossible...but... her eyes were looking straight at him, unfaltering, honest, and astoundingly beautiful. He wanted so hard to believe her.

But, he had one last question...

"You... _like_ me?" Naruto asked unsure, his cheeks heating as he timidly uttered the word "like", as if it was taboo. He needed confirmation again to be certain that his funny brain wasn't playing a trick on him.

Very seriously, Sakura nodded before biting her lips as she saw him smile... Her idiot smiled earnestly. _God! Why does he have to be so cute when he smiled?_ Naruto could be the most feared ninja of all Konoha, and in the next instant display the innocence of a child in his joyful eyes. A wave of heat spread from her heart to each of her limbs, as his contagious happiness warmed her up like a ray of sun.

His grin disappeared to be replaced by pure astonishment. _Sakura likes me!_ Naruto fidgeted slightly, tormented by a billion new emotions going berserk in his head. He swallowed the lump in his throat with difficulty, mesmerized by the woman in front of him, and more particularly, her lips. _Sakura kissed me_...

The jinjuriki wished so much to do it again, now. It's been so amazing. What would he give to taste her again, but he was sure that if he dared touching her lips, he would lose all control over himself again... maybe more now that she told him that she liked him. _Oh, God! Sakura likes me. I can't believe it!_

A small embarrassed chuckle, a nervous hand rubbing his neck, Naruto didn't know what to do with himself, torn between reason and desire. Very hesitantly, he inched closer to her and he saw her hold her breath. He couldn't. _Arrgghhh! I can't do it! Sakura-chan is so pretty! Don't do anything stupid, Uzumaki! Aim for the cheek! The cheek!_

Sakura nearly stopped breathing as his body leaned toward her, panic seizing her as she was certain she would not be able to restrain herself again. Her inner-self was already making a victory dance in her head, using a bunch of uninhibited suggestions about how to undress him fast. Her heart hammered at a terrifying speed, and she was sure that Naruto could hear the feverish pounding from where he was... so close... a bit more and...

Sakura closed her eyes in apprehension, readying herself to fight her desires when the kiss on her lips would come. She trembled with excitement, a shudder running unsubdued up her spine, her face bursting out with heat as his lips, with a feather touch, landed on her cheek cautiously. Sakura felt his bottom lip first, plump and generous. It pressed in a slow motion, careful and delicate as if she was the most precious being in the world. She was able to register each millimeter entering in contact with her skin, so soft, full, and the upper lip followed accompanying with the same gentleness its sibling.

His voice, low, barely a whisper, murmured again those words, "I love you... I love you from the bottom of my heart, Sakura-chan."

XXXXXXX

 _NOTE :_

 _* here it make reference to her confession in the land of Iron._

 ** _THIS STORY IS IN YOUR HANDS. PLEASE REVIEW IF YOU WANT ME TO CONTINUE TO WORK.._**

 _THE UPDATING WILL BE LONG (approx 3 weeks). For those who want more NaruSaku, I have 2 stories:_

 _\- How I fell in love with my best friend_

 _\- Dangerous infiltration mission_


	4. Chapter 4

**_I AM SORRY FOR THE DELAY, LIFE JUST GOT IN THE WAY_**

 ** _THANKS TO SILKEN DANCER FOR BETA READING IT_**

 _SunlitSky21: If you want that upcoming event, read "how I fell in love with my best friend" Thank you_

 _Aquarule: I am oblige to go a little fast at the beginning to put them in the situation I want to to begin really the real purpose behind this story... ;) Thank you for being here_

 _Elarmi: I know generally I turn around and around and around before begining to do anything serious between them. But I deceded for a change of pace and some unexpected turn of event. I hope you will like where it will lead._

 _Guest: Thank you for sharing your opinion. Don't worry... Karma will strike her straight in the face (*devil smirk*) and actually she didn't thought that Naruto still harbored love feeling for her because of her behavior and Sasuke, that's why she had buried her own feeling, that's why she believed he didn't love her. In my story, she deluded her love for Naruto only because she thought that he didn't love her. After I depict Narusaku relationship at the first chapter as really close, they are best friend and Naruto have no hard feeling against her. And she persuade herself that Naruto kindness is just Naruto kindness because she think he do not love her, because of their past. So I follow your point of view, but I don't plan a pure psychanalyse of Sakura. Anyway... Karma will be here to give her back what she have done... all of it. For me it is far more unbelievable on how the original author have throw her back with sasuke after he had tried to kill her etc... so her falling in love for Naruto (as he is an admirable person) and Naruto still in love with her (as he have prove it throughout the manga until the 700 chapter... is way much far believable in my own opinion._

 _Uzumaki Davis27: Thank you! sorry for the delay!_

 _xblackxhunterx: hihihi... silence before the storm... you might have guess but what will be the storm... hahaha thank you!_

 _kem94: if you like the make out... will you like the real deal ;) *jiraya mode on* thank you!_

 _ahmadaziz: yeah Naruto and his eternal "I keep my promise until after death" was quite the ultimatum and she loved him... she was just trying to hide it for herself and the world. And I tried to imagine them all more mature (they are no more 12 years old and they had a war behind them) Thank you!_

 _Shu Ouma GC: thank you!_

 _Troa95: so I hope the new chapter will be even become your new favorite ;) And you know that you are the motivation for me to have the courage to write it in the first place. Thank you for your support._

 _michaeltop10: thank you! I hope you will continue to like it_

 _PrimordialCake: Thank you! I am happy that you love my work. My motivation to work totally depend on my reader.  
_

 ** _WARNING LEMON! UNDER-AGE PERSON DO NOT READ! SKIP THE CHAPTER! SUMMARY WILL BE PROVIDED. WARNING LEMON!_**

 _Previous chapter:_

 _His voice, low, barely a whisper, murmured again those words "I love you... I love you from the bottom of my heart, Sakura-chan."_

 _ **Chap 4: Broken dam**_

A crack split apart in the deepest part of her soul and there was no way to deny it ; her heart broke open, exploding like fireworks. This was no joke, no doubt about it. It was so real that it was frightening. She could feel his breath against her skin as his mouth hovered no more than a centimeter away. All thoughts were lost in the overwhelming chaos of her emotions.

The temptation was so big that Naruto couldn't curb a second kiss from landing, this time a little bit closer to her mouth. It was only a kiss on the cheek, but the tension was such that he could feel his arousal coming back to life and his pants were becoming tighter by the second. He couldn't dare a third one or the worst would undoubtedly happen and he would lose control of himself. Reluctantly he pulled away from her skin, as staying longer would be a suicidal attempt against what was left of his sanity. He was already on the edge, fighting some violent sexual urges that were driving him completely crazy.

Sakura trembled even more at the second kiss. It was as tender as the first one but carried a bit of something more, something that definitely appealed to Inner-Sakura. Her body instinctively responded, her scorching blood infiltrating every fiber of herself, anticipating what could come next. The warmth of his mouth unhurriedly disappeared as Naruto unwillingly tried to let go of her. But she hadn't had enough of him yet, it couldn't be enough... Her head slightly turned, searching for his lips. In a moment of abandon, she indulged herself in what she had refused to acknowledge for so many years: she wanted him. _It's ok. I_ _can_ _let it all out now. He loves me..._

Her mouth captured his bewitching lips in a sultry kiss and before she realized it, Naruto had already swooped on her with delirious passion. There was no coming back from it, it was like opening a floodgate of sexual energy. The battle was ferocious, and Naruto a delectable opponent. Sakura grazed his bottom lip between her teeth, before savagely claiming his mouth with her tongue. Her blond teammate let her invade him, take control while enjoying this strange chemical reaction born from the exchange of saliva. A small guttural growl and he overran the game, taking the upper hand. Seductively, with a stroke of a tongue, he slide it inside of her mouth, engaging in a sensual dance which made her more light-headed than if she had been drugged.

His big hand caressed her skin from her calf to her thigh, creating a wave of pure electricity inside her, and she suddenly wondered if Naruto had mastered the chidori without telling her. It was just his hand, his same big hand... but his touch was somehow so far from the simple comforting contact of a friend. It was animalistic, wildly mesmerizing. His fingers grasped her hip, slightly digging into her flesh in a form of possessiveness, and she liked it. There was something, deep, raw, intense, something tremendously exciting about him. Naruto was just so different from his usual goofy self ; even his smell changed to be thicker, musky... so manly.

She should have guessed that having him in between her parted legs with her back pinned against the trunk was just the premise of something bigger. There was no surprise to it actually, even less as Inner-Sakura began to unconsciously open his jacket. Her fingers clumsily fumbled with the material, her head elsewhere, far away from this boring but useful task. Frustratedly Sakura tugged at a button, nearly ripping it apart in her hurriedness to get it out of her way as the jinchuriki sucked on her tongue so erotically that warmth filled her lower belly. _God! If he_ _continues_ _like that, I'll just rip_ _his stupid clothes to shreds_ _._

His hungry mouth abandoned hers and began a slow, torturous trail of kisses on her jaw. Sakura panted breathlessly, her head more and more a mess of lust as his hand rode up her waist before gently cupping her breast in a diffident exploration. His palm traced the curve, enjoying its roundness, before eagerly pressing the soft flesh as he progressively became bolder.

Sakura creased the materiel of his jacket, tightening her fists on it as her body jerked unconsciously when Naruto rolled his fingers around her nipple, the small bud puckering and coming to life in response to his ministration. She wanted to take off his infuriating garments... all of them!

Her hands avidly slid under his jacket, exploring the fascinating movements of his muscles under her palms, her desire ablaze as she gave in to years of pent-up forbidden fantasies. Undoubtedly, her teammate had trained hard to gain such a body, and feeling it only drove her lust higher. Her fingers followed the strong structure of his shoulders, taking the jacket with her to let it fall over his arms.

 _Those arms..._

How many times had he taken her in those arms in a protective embrace to save her on missions? How many times had she wished for him to not let her go when he crushed her against his torso with those same arms in their sparring?

The cuffs got stuck at his wrists and for a moment, Inner-Sakura contemplated the possibility of using them as a way to tie him up, before he got himself out of them with a firm tug of his arms.

 _What a shame!_

The disappointment was promptly erased as his hands went back to their previous activity, showering her with heated caresses. She encased his hair in a demanding grip as his mouth latched onto her neck, nipping, kissing, licking her skin zealously. A shudder followed by a moan... and Sakura bit her lips to restraint any other incongruous sounds from escaping her throat. Her fingers tightened their hold on the blond locks, elicited by the sensations Naruto gave her. His lips marked her as his, burning his all-mighty desires into her flesh. She yelped in surprise when she felt his voracious mouth on her nipple, his hands already ravenously caressing her skin.

When did...? When did he open her top? She didn't see him do it. Was she already so taken in that she hadn't noticed him undressing her?

She should have been ashamed to be exposed like that. But at that moment, her priority was elsewhere. She gasped, squirming around, feeling strange reactions in her body. This whole situation was spinning out of control, whirling around like a hurricane, common sense and modesty long lost to the sensation of his touches.

The world was spinning...

So fast...

It was burning...

Sakura wriggled even more as he plunged on her other breast like a starved man. A tremor shook her to the core. A tension so powerful, building at a dramatic speed in her crotch, was leaving her restless. Her whole body was on fire, craving for his wandering hands to explore more of her, to dare and sate this tyrannical need for him. She was engulfed in a scorching summer breeze, soft and torrid at the same time. The outside world became confusing, a simple blur, in her lust clouded mind. How he called her name, his lips against her skin, the hot breath and the vibration of his husky voice wildly resonating against her nakedness, made her lose all contact with reality.

In a swift movement, Naruto embraced her and shifted to lay her on his abandoned jacket. Their breath mingled for a couple of exhalations as he looked at her with his fiery blue eyes.

"You're so beautiful, Sakura-chan!" He commented with a raspy voice laced with desire. "I love you so much!"

Her heart sped up to an unthinkable rate, hearing his confession again and even more as he branded her lips in another heated kiss, molding his body against hers. His thigh in between her legs applied a small pressure on her crotch while his hand caressed her lower back before continuing over the contour of her ass, appreciating the softness under his fingers. She repressed a moan as he pressed her more tightly to him, making the sensitive bead hidden in the folds of her private parts rub against his powerful thigh slightly, and to invite her to express herself, he unabatedly rolled her nipple in between his fingers with his other hand to bring out her voice.

Naruto released a small grunt as some wild desire consumed the remnant of his consciousness when she moaned into his kiss while sensually swaying her hips in need. His eyes turned darker, his smirk predatory as he rose up a little. Her face was flushed red with excitation, her perky nipples inviting for more luscious activities, her skin so white and smooth that all the warnings in his head turned off and the devil tempting him to give into his primal instinct won the battle.

His stare captured her glazed eyes, searching for a form of disapproval as his hand slide into her shorts and then her panties. He couldn't believe that this was happening, and he questioned his sanity, wondering if he wasn't stuck in one of his wet dreams. It was surreal ; he was touching Sakura and, as in his fantasies, she was sensually biting her lips while her gaze was as ardent as his. His fingers first reached her curls and then continued further to dive into the forbidden valley where he knew something very sensitive was hidden, thanks to all the advice Pervy-Sage had given him when he was young and the controversial literature his mentor had forced on him. Sakura trembled at his touch when he began his gentle play on her clit, and his smirk stretched in response. Naruto swore to himself that he wouldn't let her go before he managed to make her lose her mind, no matter how long it took. He was the persevering type after all.

Attentively, Naruto scrutinized her, trying to find the right pace, the best amount of pressure. Some twitches, some jolts, a stronger intake of air, this was it... Sakura was so sensitive under his touch. His mouth latched onto her tantalizing nipple to add to his treatment and her moans were the sweetest reward ever. He could feel his own excitation built up at her voice, his cock swelling to the point of pain. He could feel how his fingers were covered with her delicious fluid and his imagination took him to visualize his erection grinding against her instead of his digits, clouding his mind in his desire to make her his.

 _God! I want her so badly! I'm gonna explode..._

His teeth grazed her nipple more intently and her fingers tightened their hold on his hair. A ragged breath. Fire, fire inside and out... Her body was too small for all of this... too much. She was feeling it. It was building... She wanted more... less... faster... And as if Naruto could read her mind, he responded, giving her what she needed, bringing her closer to this delicious torturous pressure. Her heart was speeding up, her body sweating, wriggling, meeting his pace as the need for release erased all decency. Her voice broke in a cry, her back arched like a bow. It exploded, bathing her in light and warm fuzzy sensations as the pleasure erupted from all parts of her body all together.

Sakura conceded defeat... _'Naruto one / Sakura zero'_ commented Inner-Sakura happily, drowsily enjoying the afterglow of her first orgasm.

Lips partly open, panting more than after a full battle, Sakura tried to reign in the chaos assaulting her heart, her head such a slushy mess that she wasn't sure she'd be able to count to three. Her fingers had released their grip on his mane and were now languidly resting on the top of his head while he silently watched her with a fox smile adorning his luscious lips. His fingers came to his mouth and he eagerly tasted the proof of his accomplishment. Her gaze tiredly met with his burning stare and she felt transfixed by the myriad of emotions dancing in the mesmerizing blue orbs. She couldn't oppose or resist him when he straightened into a sitting position and his hands took hold of the waist-band of her shorts to pull them down her legs.

 _This man is a crime against chastity._

With just a look, she was sure that he could pull the panties off a saint virgin. She was still hypnotized when her panties followed the same destiny as her shorts, the item rolling down her thighs as she obediently lifted her legs to help him. How could she refuse him anything when he looked at her with such intensity? Her mind was devoured by lust as her eyes roamed over his torso clothed only in his traditional mesh shirt. There wasn't much hidden, the strong muscles of his chest were perfectly identifiable through the holes. How many years had she spent scrutinizing his appealing chest, castigating herself over her desires? How many times had she locked up Inner-Sakura so as to not jump on him? Foolish! So many years wasted! She wanted him so much...

The last barrier cast away, Naruto bended toward her, claiming her lips with smoldered passion. Sakura returned the kiss with the same keenness, her hand grabbing the bottom of his shirt to lift it up. They kept their tongues in contact until the last moment, breaking apart only to pass the collar above his head before resuming the fiery kiss again.

Skin against skin... but it still wasn't enough.

She could feel his erection poking her belly and it was absurdly erotic. Their arms intermingled as they exchanged fervid caresses. Her hands fumbled with his belt, fighting with the buckle to open it as fast as possible, but she had only just managed to unclasp it when Naruto drifted downward, making the object of her work unreachable. Her lover covered her with a succession of kisses, before having his head in between her legs. She should have felt ashamed, uneasy or at least shy. But the only thing she could think of was that he was damn good with his tongue.

 _Is_ _he trying to write some kanji with his tongue to make it swirl like that?_ Actually she couldn't care less ; he could write a whole book with it if he wanted to. She had never felt anything as good as this in her entire life. Jolt. _Ohh!_ Inner-Sakura was jubilant, proffering some very immodest actions to do next. Gasp. _Yeah!_ _There_ _!_ Her legs twitched and he insisted, patiently, languorously, devotedly.

Naruto passed his tongue through her slit and went up to her clit, repeating the movement a few times, enjoying her taste and her trembling body under his palms. Sakura had just come again, making him feel feverish, his own excitation reaching a peak. Her nails were encased in his shoulders and even with the slight sting of pain he found it to be an invigorating sensation. He was intoxicated by her sweet taste, by her shivers, by the way she fought to hide her pleasure, repressing her voice to prevent her moans from being too loud. But he knew better, he was in the best place to appreciate the effect he had on her. He had already successfully witnessed a few of her orgasms and he wanted more, he wanted her to lose all control.

Naruto slid his tongue inside her tight passage, in slow in and out movements, playing around to find all her sensitive spots. Sakura was becoming restless and he smirked mentally while assiduously continuing his licking activity. She was fascinating with her body glistening with a fine layer of sweat and those entrancing green eyes only half open, drowning in pleasure... a pleasure he gave her. She was so wet and hot. He could feel her insides twitching and just imagining another part of him there made his erection rock hard.

As her back fell limp against the ground after being in state of rapture, Sakura saw him straightening up, and almost whined at the loss. From this intense afterglow state of mind, her foggy brain registered his actions, his hand fumbling in his pouch to pull out a small and square item wrapped up in a bright colored package. Next she saw _it_ ; Naruto pushed his pants down with his boxers in a swift move, displaying for her eyes a tall and proud cock surrounded by a golden crown of fluff at the base of it.

She had seen penises, more than she would have liked in her medic life. Most of the time she had found them ugly in their scrawny wrinkled forms. During surgery she'd had to manipulate a penis or two, although it had always been with disgust, and had even begun wondering what was so enthralling about those things, presuming that all the fuss was only due to some sort of primal instinct.

However, at that instant, Sakura and Inner-Sakura agreed: Naruto was a living reincarnation of Eros. His body glimmered in the dim moon light, some faint shadows drawing the contours of his perfect toned muscles and this... this outstanding proof of his virility. Fascinated, her eyes followed how he opened the colorful package and placed the disk of latex on the top of his cock, before carefully rolling it down on his length. She snapped out of her trance when his body bent towards her. Some awkward connections flared in her brain with an irrational fear... It was happening... this was it!

"Naruto! Wait!" Sakura pleaded, panicked, and the blond Adonis stopped abruptly, his body hovering just above her. _Holy cow! Can anyone be_ _sexier_ _than him?_

Were they under attack? Had she detected some danger that his dulled senses had missed? Attentively, his ninja instincts kicking in, the cerulean blue eyes observed their surroundings in search of the potential threat. _Nothing! No suspicious chakra, nothing except some harmless animals._ His glance landed back on her face, searching for the reason of her sudden outburst. She was blushing beet red, biting her lower lip and he found her absolutely irresistible. Immediately forgetting all thoughts that might have occupied his consciousness the previous second, he just got back to the main subject of his current interest. Sakura.

His body continued to descend toward her, his back as elastic as a feline, but Sakura stopped him again, her hands holding his shoulders in place to prevent him from coming closer.

What's wrong?" Naruto finally asked, ominous feelings creeping along his spine. Did she change her mind about him?

Sakura hesitated, opened her mouth and closed it twice without uttering a word. Naruto scrutinized her, waiting a moment for her answer and when it didn't come, he huffed dejectedly.

"Are you regretting what you told me? You don't like me like that maybe..."

"No!" Sakura shouted. "I like you..." she continued more shyly.

Naruto evaluated her. He was lost ; he didn't know this Sakura and couldn't predict her reaction.

"What's wrong?" he gently insisted, seeing that she was dealing with some sort of inner turmoil. "You don't want me...?"

Sakura blushed more. "I-I'm virgin..." she admitted, mumbling faintly. She doubted that she'd ever lived a more embarrassing day in her life.

"Oh!" Naruto was genuinely surprised. He didn't expect this answer. Not that he'd ever thought of her as being experienced. He was pretty sure she had never had a boyfriend ; of course if she had, he would have killed the guy before he could even touch her. In all honesty, the question of her virginity simply hadn't even occurred to him … but true, it was different for girls.

"Do you want to stop?" He could wait for her, forever if needed. He would just have to take some time for himself to release the pressure on his lower half or he might die from a lack of blood in his head.

 _'Nooooo!_ _Stop being stupid and rape him! Don't let him withdraw or I'm gonna make your life a living hell! '_ Threatened her inner counterfeit.

Under the influence of Inner-Sakura, she shook her head to deny this option from taking place. She wanted him... She was just scared for her first time, and he was far from being small, too.

"Be gentle..." she timidly demanded.

The red of her face must have been contagious as he could feel his cheeks heating up too. How could she ask him that while looking ravishingly sexy? He wanted nothing more than to make love to her with complete abandon. However, for her, he would do anything that she wished.

"I will try!" he promised, lovingly kissing her forehead. "Just hit me, if I lose myself."

His body molded against her as he took her tenderly in his arms. His skin was so warm, his scent invaded her nostrils... She felt intoxicated by him immediately. Her fear lessened as her excitation increased. His sex... his large sex rubbed against her wet folds in a languid manner without entering her, sending vibrations up her spine, awaking a fire in her whole body. Naruto was patient, caring, and she was highly grateful for that. He took his time, covering her skin with caresses and attention, kissing her softly so as to not frighten her.

"I love you." he told her, kissing her nose before looking into her eyes. "I've loved you since forever." he whispered in her ear with solemnity. His gaze and his voice were so sincere that Sakura's heart melted faster than a snowflake in the Suna weather.

 _'Shanarooo! What are you waiting for? You want him! Go for it!'_ Said the voice in her head

Tentatively her hand reached between their bodies and apprehensively touched the stiff organ. It was hot, and god... how could it be so hard? It jerked at her touch and she nearly released it from surprise. Meanwhile, Naruto didn't say a thing, he didn't even move. The blond man didn't dare budge a single muscle for fear of betraying his agonized state, his body terribly tensed up in anticipation, holding it still with tight control to prevent himself from diving on her. But his breathing... his fast-paced breath hitting her neck was somewhat more telling, exposing his tormented condition. It was as if he would perform a phenomenon of self-combustion from his temperature boiling over.

 _'Shanaroo! Do it!'_ Yelled the voice.

Sakura swallowed the lump in her throat with some difficulties, assuring her grip around his penis. She was feeling close to fainting as her heart fell victim to some sort of cardiac arrhythmia, a bit more and her myocardium might break down completely from a coronary thrombosis. She couldn't believe she was doing it. Sakura pinched her lips into a thin line, tightly closing her eyelids, and pushed down his erection while slightly lifting her hips to align it with her entrance. She suspended her movement, cowardly failing to finish it. She could feel his cock pulsing in her hand, so full of vigor and life. Part of her... a big part of her... wanted to go further, but another one, a highly tough opponent, argued to postpone it. She held her breath fearing the worst, while counting in her head to gather her courage for the ineluctable.

Naruto's voice broke her counting, "We can wait... It's not because I want to make love to you that we've..." the rest of the sentence was forgotten as she lowered her hips, letting the large phallus invade her intimacy.

Naruto forgot how to breathe from the shock and with a narrow thread of last second restraint, escaped the shame of lamely end too soon. Just the tip of his cock penetrating her had been overwhelming. He forced a deep breath in and out of his lungs in a slow pace to reign some control over his excited senses.

 _It's too good, dattebayo!_ _I have to control myself!_

Then he looked at the woman he loved more than life itself. Her face was scrunched in an expression of discomfort, and he felt terribly guilty to be the cause of it. Gradually, he tried to pull away, but she stopped him, encasing her nails in his hips to force him still.

"Don't – Don't move yet!" she uttered through clenched teeth. She could still sharply feel the burning sensation from being branded his woman and the overly unpleasant stretch at having the beginning of his large penis inside her.

"It hurts?" Naruto asked, genuinely concerned for her well-being.

 _'_ _Like_ _hell_ _it hurts, Idiot_ _! What do you expect with such an elephant's trunk?'_ grumbled her inner counterfeit angrily.

Sakura however forced a smile and answered, "Not that much... you can move... slowly!"

Her and her stupid pride! She must have turned masochist to say such absurdity. Why couldn't she stand to admit her weakness? Bad habits die hard though, and she would have to pay the price. She readied herself for what would certainly be a long and painful torture, but instead of pushing further, he tenderly caressed her cheek with an airy touch.

"Look at me, Sakura-chan!"

His voice was gentle, reassuring, and it was only after hearing him that she realized her eyelids were tightly shut. Hesitantly, Sakura opened her eyes, meeting an ocean condensed within a loving gaze. Her lover gave her a hint of a smile, his fingers softly brushing the contours of her face.

"I love you, Sakura-chan! I don't want to hurt you."

"Idiot!" she affectionately muttered, pulling on his neck to bring him closer to her. His lips were tensed at first, certainly as tensed as the rest of his body, but Naruto quickly loosened up, letting a low growl resound in his throat as desire threatened to consume him. She indubitably wanted him too, her body flaring up like a spark of fire on a dry grassland.

"Move!" Sakura ordered finally, releasing the kiss and he did.

 _By all the angels in heaven! I must be dead and in paradise!_

The pleasure was so extreme that he had to shut his eyes to overcome the burst of feelings blinding him. Sakura was so tight and warm and... _Shit! I have to keep calm. I'm a master at concentrating... Aaah! But I never had to concentrate for Sage mode while being in Sakura-chan... I can't meditate like_ _this_ _._ She had been so clenched that he had to use some force to push forward, but so wet at the same time, making the progress an easy slide. He was completely engulfed in the most wonderful sensation he ever experienced and fought his urge to pound her into oblivion until the pressure in his crotch subsided.

Sakura was holding his neck with a vice-grip, biting his shoulder to smother her cry. It had been worse than what she'd expected, but at least he was now buried to the root inside of her and thankfully was apparently nice enough to give her the time to adjust to his size. Slowly her jaw freed his flesh, taking a large intake of air to relax, and she shamefully noticed the red mark of her teeth on his tore skin. _'I wasn't the only one to suffer'_ , she remarked to herself

Naruto was concealing his face in her neck and his heavy breath tingled the shorter hair at the base of her nape. After a few seconds of perfect stillness, he finally emerged from his hiding spot, looking straight at her, worry marring his charming features. He covered her face with thousands of small kisses, his strong arms encircling her in a comforting embrace. Just his warmth and his tenderness were enough to distract her from the soreness. Now, after the first shock passed, it wasn't that bad. She could qualify it as being a weird sensation to have, this foreign thing inside her, but definitively not disagreeable, quite the opposite in fact. It was hot, pulsing, and made her feel so full of him.

Naruto hated causing her any pain and thought hard on how he could make the whole process more pleasant for her. Out of the number of books and other licentious stories he knew, why couldn't he remember a single one tackling the subject of dealing with a virgin girl? Did his mentor have some sort of moral against doing his 'research' on innocent girls? The blond tried to recollect the advice the old man used to tell him, back when he was still too young to be interested in those kinds of things. He bitterly regretted not having listened more attentively to those depraved ramblings. His blue eyes observed her face. The strain in her expression seemed to have loosened up some, and he figured maybe he could help her further by drawing her attention away from the problem somehow. So thinking, he followed through with the first thought that came to him, and his hand slid in between their connected bodies and began to gently play with her clitoris.

The effect was immediate as he could feel her muscles inside spasm in response to his stimulation and soon her moans began to ring in his ears like a melody. When the blond felt that she was sufficiently excited, he started some slow undulations, partially pulling his hips backward before moving in again. The sensations were exhilarating and he instantly discovered that he was going to need a lot of concentration to not carelessly blow his load.

Unhurriedly, Naruto continued with longer strokes until he was almost out to the tip. He let the pleasure steadily build up to bring her to the edge. It was there, just a bit more. He could feel her squeezing him inside, meeting his hips mid movement, slamming their bodies together. Her breath had turned into a ragged mess of puffs of air, as she was more and more swallowed by the sensations. _God! Help me hold on!_

Sakura's head was thrashing from side to side, the searing friction inside her with the stimulus outside were driving her crazy. The pain was long forgotten as if it had been pure illusion. The only thing that she was aware of, was him. She couldn't hear the small rustling of the leaves, nor feel the light night breeze on her heated skin. She was enthralled, bound to him by a spell stronger than any jutsu she knew. Him, him, him, and only him was her whole world at that moment. She was surrounded by him, bathing in his warmth, drowning in the deep blue of his eyes, melting into his embrace, and enslaved by what he was doing to her. She couldn't even breathe anymore, let alone think. Naruto was everywhere, kissing her neck, touching her and invading her. At each impact of his member, at a point deep inside, an intense shot of endorphins would massively spread throughout her system, rendering her more and more addicted to this. She could feel something, something enormous threatening to overcome her. She was powerless, afraid and fascinated, by these sensations that were bigger than her, and then the dam broke... leaving her blind, deaf, and stupid.

The destructive wave had been violent, and she needed a few seconds to regain some sort of consciousness. She blinked, groggily smiling up at the man observing her from above. Her brain was in a maze, but her inner-self still managed to make a comment on his performance. Sakura lazily hushed the inner voice ; there was no doubt about it that his victory was complete. She had lost count of the number of times he made her come this night, and this last one was damagingly good.

"You okay?" Naruto asked worried.

She nodded, not trusting her voice, and her smile stretched even if all her muscles didn't obey her completely, making the facial expression look like the lop-sided grin of a drunkard. Her hand flopped upon his shoulder sluggishly and she uninhibitedly gave him a few good squeezes, amazed by the solid structure of his muscles. Realization sparked within her like a light bulb had turned on in her hazy brain, and she stopped what she was doing, patting it embarrassedly.

Naruto silently waited, his eyes intently watching each of her movements. He had been a little afraid when her body shook in a violent spasm. He hadn't been able to understand much, as he'd been too caught up in his self-restraint to not cum as her muscles clamped around his cock, bringing him awfully close to release. So now, he observed her reactions, looking for any sign that she had been hurt or something, and after a moment concluded that she had simply orgasmed, judging from her satisfied expression and drunken demeanor. He continued to observe her, fascinated. – finish of him being a little scared. He watched her touch his shoulder and then wanted to laugh at her panicked expression as she became aware of it. _She must have done_ _it_ _unconsciously,_ he mused.

"You like it?" Naruto teased, "You can touch if you want, I'm all yours!" he concluded with a wink and an unintentionally seductive smile.

Sakura blushed even more, lazily slapping his toned arm. "Baka!" she murmured without conviction.

Eyes shining with mischief, Naruto just laughed at her fake-outraged pout and swirled his hips to remind her of an important fact... He wasn't done with her. Sakura gasped at the sensation, her whole body still extremely sensitive. His lips captured her mouth in a heated kiss while he resumed his in and out motions.

"There's so many things I've dreamed of doing to you... don't plan on leaving me now...We're just getting started... "

His voice turned insanely erotic, thicker than a brick wall, and her spine instinctively arched to press herself against his strong chest. Sexy wasn't an adequate word to describe Naruto, it wasn't intense enough, way too limited. Just hearing him was able to make her excitement flame and liquid flow down her thighs. What did he do to her? It was like he carved his name in her flesh. She was all his, dying for more of him. Her legs tightened around his hips as his rhythm changed, becoming faster, the sensation rising again into an insatiable hunger for him.

They were a mess of entangled limbs, there was no end to him and no beginning to her, as their bodies melted into each other: following, searching, responding. Growls and moans punctuated their lovemaking, while the sound of wet skin slamming together formed a background music. Naruto wasn't known to be lacking in stamina and that night Sakura discovered all the advantages of such an attribute.

Her knees by her ears, Sakura muffled another cry of pleasure into an intoxicating kiss as his large hands supported her lower back and he pounded into her ferociously. She couldn't form more than a single word at a time, her vocabulary suddenly limited to "More", "Deeper", "Yes" and other suggestive sounds expressing her appreciation of his intense devotion.

She was lost... completely lost. There was only his eyes, with his pupils so dilated that they nearly looked black, his face expressing love and desire, his whole body so sensually holding her tightly. She was his and he was hers... nothing else mattered… except for maybe the maddening sensation ready to explode again. Her hands slipped from his sweaty shoulders to his firm biceps, trying to keep a hold on him in her ravaged state. One hand savagely grabbed his neck and brought his face closer to kiss him with unleashed passion.

"I love you, Naruto!" she breathlessly admitted when she released his mouth, pleasure washing over her with tremendous violence. It was insane... so insane. She loved him so much that she couldn't hide it anymore.

Naruto could only look at her, wide-eyed and rendered speechless. His heart skipped a beat and before he realized it, he lost control. The shock and her orgasm served to drive him over the edge, he couldn't stop it now. His back arched, pushing his hips in further, encasing himself deep inside her, trying to be one with her. He climaxed. Stupendous ecstasy invaded all his being, pleasure like he never knew could exist, as he ejaculated thick spurts of sperm.

He could see stars, and all his force left him suddenly. His head was spinning, but he had never felt as good as he did that moment in his entire life. His body was limp, so relaxed. He felt boneless and it was only with great difficulty that he kept his weight on his elbows to not crash on top of her.

They were both heavily panting, trying to recover from the fierce bliss, and they needed a long moment to come back to earth. Naruto watched her with half-lidded glassy eyes, his heart bursting with love.

"I love you and will love you forever, Sakura-chan... It's a promise of a lifetime!"

Naruto softly kissed her lips a last time before disengaging himself from her. His expression turned panicked immediately as he noted something that he didn't expect to happen: his condom broke.

"Oh shit!"

Eloquent, clear, and concise, it was the perfect example of how to efficiently summarize a situation in one word.

His exaggerated wide eyes and his jaw hanging open could have been a funny picture, but something in his shocked expression put Sakura in an alarmed state. She lifted herself up on her elbow, still partly dizzy from her previous orgasm and looked around to discover the source of his strange behavior.

There, on his still partly erected cock was only half of the condom...

Sakura sobered up immediately, sitting up straight with a jolt, and followed him with the same statement. "Oh Shit!" _Where was the other half?_

Naruto growled, hiding his face with his palm and mumbled a tortured, "Sorry!"

Sakura breathed in to calm herself and exhaled slowly, this wasn't the moment to let herself get overwhelmed by emotions, even if she was directly impacted by the problem. She was a medic, one of the best, and knew perfectly well the procedure in this sort of case. There was no need to panic. She could manage it...

"Listen! It's no big deal." Sakura began in a professional tone. "I'll just take some medicine for few days and we should be safe. I have all the elements needed in my medical pouch to prepare the remedy, there is no problem at all." She recited her speech, the same way she would do to a patient, except that she was 'the patient' this time and she wasn't sure if she was saying it to reassure him or for her mostly.

Naruto's palm left his face, rubbed his neck, his eyes closed while apparently in deep thought, and finally the cerulean blue eyes reappeared, more calm, the worst of the shock fading away.

"Well, if that doesn't work... I would be quite happy to have a family with you... I mean, it would be great and all to get married with you and have a kid or two... or three or..." He smiled clumsily, "I don't know how have to behave like a father, but you know I would take good care of you, both... and..." He chuckled, embarrassed, imagining his life with Sakura and his child. "I'm sure, we would be happy."

Sakura narrowed her eyes, "Don't tell me you broke it on purpose!"

Naruto refuted that entirely, "NO! I would never force you into marrying me by tricking you or anything like that, Dattebayo!" He rubbed his neck, sighing. "I mean, it just happened... and I want you to know that I would be here and I would take on the responsibilities. I've loved you since forever, so it's maybe easier for me to think like that. But... yeah... I would love to have a family with you. Now or in the future." He proclaimed in all honesty.

Just the idea was crazy, and maybe she had lost some brain cells from their previous activity, but she had to recognize that at that exact second, the idea seemed attractive with how he said it. However, the dream-state didn't last ; they had to be reasonable. It was too early, too abrupt to even think about something as engaging as a kid. They just finally admitted their love for each other after so many years of misunderstanding. It would already be difficult to be a couple in front of everyone that had known them for so long, it would be prudent to not add a bigger complication to their still fresh relationship.

"It's too soon for that!" Sakura concluded gravely. "Anyways, three days of the treatment, and this little accident will be forgotten. Let's build this relationship between us slowly..." Her cheeks heated in a dark blush at the mention of 'us'. After what they had done, it was childish to be so shy now, but she couldn't control herself at the evidence that they were now an 'us'. "I don't want people to know just yet about us either, I would prefer that we take the time to adjust ourselves first into it."

Naruto fixed her with a stare for a while. He knew that she had said something, he knew that it was important, but he felt he didn't quite understand her words. He wanted to ask "why" or any of the other stupid questions that haunted his brain. However, his short life by her side had taught him one or two things about her: the first one, 'run when she's pissed off', the second, 'agree even when you don't understand her'.

He muttered a little unconvinced, "Okay!"- nodding his head once just for good measure and he saw her smile at him cutely. _Right choice!_

Sakura stood up on shaky legs and Naruto jumped back to his feet to hold her in his arms.

"I'm fine Naruto, I have to go clean up..." ' _and find the rest of the condom'_ finished the voice in her head.

Naruto hesitated, and suddenly just passed his arms under her legs to carry her bridal style. "I'll carry you to the river." he offered.

Here she was, naked in his arms, pressed against his strong bare chest. She blushed more, from embarrassment partly, and definitely from other disturbing sensations. Inner-Sakura was jumping around in her head, screaming _'second round!'_ and Sakura hid her face, realizing that she had already turned into a pervert.

 **I HOPE THAT YOU LIKED THE CHAPTER. THE FUTUR OF THIS STORY IS BETWEEN YOUR HAND... REVIEWS WILL BE MY MOTIVATION TO WORK. SILENCE MY CONFIRMATION TO ABANDON WRITING**


	5. Chapter 5

**THANK TO SAVAGE HUNGER 47 FOR BETA READING IT  
**

 _Siddhartha: thank you very much for your support and for the wait. I hope you will continue to enjoy it.  
_

 _eight heroes: thank you! The next chapter is here, I hope you'll like it_

 _kellytheKid: hahaha. Thank you! The answer to your question in this chapter_

 _Whispering heart: NaruSaku are so inspiring. I'm wondering why there isn't more story about them._

 _AquaRules: It's soon but it's necessary for the rest of the story. I hope you will like it_

 _Epoli: I am sorry, I am truly terrible at summary. But to be totally honest, For now I am still just preparing the place for the main story_

 _Troa95:I am afraid that I am preparing another monster as long as How I fell in love. I don't want it too long, because it's really tiresome and shorter story tend to be more attractive than big monster. But Naruto and Sasuke in this story are jst driving me crazy... they do whatever they want. Anyway, I hope you will enjoy it for as long as I write it. Thank you for your support! I always think of your enthusiasm whenever I want to give up and it give me some courage._

 _xblackxhunterx: you're right, there will be a storm. But from where will come the wind. Only following the story will tell you. Thank you! I hope you'll continue to like it!_

 _sagar hussain: thank you! The delay for updating this story is quite long approx 3 week/ chapter. as I have to write the chapter and make it beta read before publishing. I hope you will continue to enjoy it._

 _GuildedWitch08:Yeah Kishi have gave me the biggest trauma ever. I can't even look at Boruto... It just make me want to puke! And for the smut, Naruto is a crazy lover in my mind, so he don't hold back either hehe! I like the idea of your plot, it might be good for another story, for this one I will let you discover what I've prepared for you. Enjoy!Thank you!_

 _YeagerMeister31: Yeah NaruSaku forever! I hope you will continue to like it. Thank you!_

 _guest: thank you!_

 _joey91731: thank you very much! I'm not finished yet with the panoply of emotions. I hope you will continue to enjoy it._

 _Sir Falinn: Thank you very very much! I hope you will continue to like it!_

 _Naru285: Thank you very much! I hope you will continue to enjoy it._

 _nicholee33: Thank you! It will be not only about their relationship, but I will let you discover the rest of the plot in later chapter on._

 _kem194: They are so damn cute together! I completely agree! Viva NaruSaku! Fight for it! Thank you!_

 _orangana: The situation of Sasuke is completely on the edge and I like to play with it in this story. I hope you will like it._

 _Eremika: I think most of you can't guess where I am taking this. In some way it make me feel excited to know your reaction when you will found out. Thank you for your support!_

 _Tyree: If this one is your favorite and DIM the second, that only mean that I am making progress in my writing as How I fell in love with my best friend was my first try, DIM the second and All over again, my third story. I am really glad that you like my work. Please continu to give me your opinion throughout the story. Thank you!_

 _Summary previous chapter: Naruto and Sakura had their first love making. At the end of it, they discover that the condom have broken._

 ** _LEMON WARNING!_**

 _ **Chap 5: A glamorous task**_

The river wasn't far away fortunately, and the small walk had slightly calmed her. The night was becoming fresher and it helped cool down her overheated body. Naruto was actually taking his time, walking at a leisurely pace, his mind elsewhere. It was rare to see Naruto pensive, his gaze lost on a point somewhere straight ahead.

Sakura observed him, with brief stealthily glances, wondering what he was thinking... Was he preoccupied for the condom incident? Was he thinking about their relationship? Was he...? She hated it when he was silent... It wasn't like him at all, and she couldn't figure out what was going on in his unpredictable brain.

A small ruffling sound in the bushes attracted their attention, Sakura suddenly felt really uncomfortable, conscious of her completely naked state. With her quick reflexes, she hid as much of her private parts as possible with her hands, only to sigh with relief the next instant as a small rabbit dashed at full speed across the path in front of them.

"Don't be so tense, Sakura-chan! It's only a rabbit."

Sakura lifted her chin, avoiding his smiling eyes. "It's easier for you, you seem to have no modesty... After all, you're always half-naked all summer long."

"Don't worry... I don't want to share this special sight with anyone else. So, you can be sure that I wouldn't have let anyone take a peek at your body, and stay alive to remember it." He laughed lightly.

For a brief second, Sakura was torn between being happy to have this feeling of protectiveness with him, and afraid of his reaction for his possessiveness. "It would have been simpler, if we just cover ourselves," she commented sarcastically.

At the mention of their clothes, he stopped in his track and quickly did his favorite hands signs. In a puff of a smoke appeared a clone, and Naruto ordered him to bring their garments back to the river.

"Problem solved!" he declared proudly, grinning irresistibly…

Sakura couldn't hold grudge against him. Naruto always had this simplistic way of seeing life and making it easier. To all types of complicated matters or philosophical brain crunching questions, he offered answers without knowing it, to all kinds of practical and frequently unique solutions. Here again, all her complaints were canceled by his devotion and quick fix.

With the last few strides, they passed the protection of the forest to arrive at the clearing at the river. The moon light cast a soft glowing on the water that contrast with the tall shadows of the trees surrounding them. Naruto stepped into the cool flow, and slowly walked in. Sakura eyed the water then gave him a glance. It seems he didn't plan to leave her. _Better to give him a hint!_

"Hmm Naruto, can you put me down?"

Lagoon eyes lowered toward her with a questioning look. "Why? Didn't you want to go in the water?"

Sakura cheeks began to feel hot. _'Why does he have to be so dense?'_ "Yes, I do... but... still... can you leave me for a bit?"

Naruto chuckled lightly, continuing his progression. "I need to wash up, too... ya know."

 _Denser than a rock!_ Commented the voice in her head.

"Leave me here and go wash first... I need some privacy..." she said blushing more.

"Why? You're… _"—_ _already naked in my arms— "_ We've…"— _already made love— "_ I would like to…"— _do it again... wrong answer!_ — "Can't I stay with you?" he asked sheepishly.

 _He's so frustrating._

"Arrggg, Naruto! No! I need to search for the other half of your stupid condom!" she blurted out at the end of her patience.

"Oh!"

It was a wonderful vocal, carrying all the depths of the surprise that one could experience, and even his face was the perfect mirror of his stupefaction.

 _He will really be the death of me!_

"Yeah, 'Oh'... So, put me down and turn around, will you?" she said with embarrassment, and judging by the look on his face, they both were uncomfortable now.

Finally, Naruto obeyed without protest, lowering his arms to let her step in the river. Begrudgingly, she admitted to herself that she felt lonely without his embrace, but on the other hand, the water felt wonderful on her heated skin. Sakura took few hesitant steps away from him and felt his stare still lingering on her back. It was disturbing.

"Turn!" she ordered dryly without even spinning around to look at him, she felt terribly self-conscious and couldn't face him yet.

Then, Sakura peeked a brief glance above her shoulder to check if Naruto had complied to her request. He did, letting her admire his well-developed back and perfectly drawn buttock. _This man!_ It was no surprise to find him so well-proportioned, as he was the only one of them who could compete with Rock Lee in term of intense training. She reluctantly abandoned her perusal of his body to 'plunge' into a less than attractive and glamorous task.

First of all, the pinkette used a light healing glow over her intimate part to soothe and help heal the torn flesh of the deflowered rite. Then she inserted a finger, in quest for the small latex shred. It was certainly in a place where it should not be, too far to reach as she wasn't able to locate it. She muttered a few curses under her breath, and inserted another finger in hope that it would be enough to pull her out of this pinch.

"Can I help you?" offered Naruto innocently, thinking that he was somewhat at fault as well for this predicament.

Sakura halted abruptly, like a deer caught in front of a light. Her heart threatening to break out through her mouth at the prospect of being seen like this. She breathed again, her brain registering that he wasn't looking at her. "I'm fine!" she lied, searching frantically for the lost item.

Naruto cleared his throat few seconds later, uncomfortable, but genuinely concerned. "I know I shouldn't insist... but... my fingers are longer, and it's not like I hadn't seen you down there."

 _Shit! He heard me when I said 'stupid short fingers'..._

Sakura gave a quick peek over her shoulder. At least he had the decency to blush after making such an offer, his ears were so red they nearly glowed in the night, and the rosiness seemed to go down on his neck as well.

She had to consider it, as she couldn't find the damn thing by herself. The risk was too big to keep the condom in until arriving to Konoha hospital, and somehow, explaining to Tsunade, Shizune or any of her coworkers how she ended up with half of a condom inside her vagina was even more terrifying than involving him.

"Well..." she uncertainly began, stopped, gulped, breathed in, breathed out, cowardly shut her eyes tightly, and finally, faintly, more or less accepted his offer. "Maybe..."

When you take the final step to enter a romantic relationship with your best friend, who knew you since childhood, one would think that he knew enough of your best and worst moments for you to be immune against awkwardness, redoubtable humiliation or inglorious disgrace. You'd think that somehow, you could face anything if he is by your side... However, you would think that only until the moment he'd have to dig into your most intimate part with his fingers, to fish out a piece of condom he'd broken inside of you.

Naruto turned around and looked her. She was as straight as a "T", her body tensed, her shoulders squared and her fists clenched tightly at her side as if she was ready for a fight. Slowly, he made his way toward her, trying to calm his own raging heart. He has to be calm, for her. If he wanted to be with her, he had to be her support— someone she could lean on.

His toned arms tenderly encircled her in a warm and soothing embrace, holding her from behind. A kiss, simple, endearing, on the crook of her neck was enough to slightly sooth her, and relieve her stress. His voice followed, a whisper in her ear, enchanting her soul more than a spell could do.

"Sakura-chan..."

How many years had she dreamed of hearing him say her name so sultrily like that?

"Relax... you have to trust me," he said, his hand sliding sensually on her skin.

 _Oh, God! I love his touch..._

"Relax..." he repeated, more enticing than a snake charmer, his hand softly caressing her belly.

She was mortified, but somehow, whether she like it or not, her body pretty much relaxed in his embrace, or, mostly, awakened another form of tension as his hand reached her sex. Slowly, Naruto inserted a digit and Sakura bit her lips to restrain from moaning. Why wasn't it the same when she used her own hand? Did he had some magic attached to his hand? Or was he using some kind of chakra to make the sensations so different?

"Trust me... relax..." Naruto said again, kissing her gently on the nape while trying to move his finger inside her. She was to tensed that he could barely move. Maybe he should distract her?

His other hand began to fondle her breast and soon her initial embarrassment was forgotten, giving way to lust. For both of them. Sakura molded herself against his warmth, searching unconsciously for more contact, and was greeted by his proud arousal on her lower back.

He inserted another digit, nearly forgetting the initial mission as he felt her becoming wetter and more responsive to his touch. Until, by accident, as he had been searching more on how to make her face twitch provocatively than really doing his retrieval task, he brushed something as his fingers dove deeper inside her.

"Oh! It's here!" Naruto exclaimed, breaking the sexual atmosphere.

Sakura opened her eyes abruptly, realizing that she was enjoying his help a little too much. She repressed a moan as he plunged his fingers deeper in her, hitting a very nice spot inside.

"Here!" he announced proudly, pulling his fingers out, the little latex item held between the tips of his fingers.

Embarrassing... Embarrassing, but relieving as well...

Sakura sighed, nearly slumping down as she eased way from Naruto. A strong arm draped around her waist, prevented her from falling and kept her tight against his warm chest. She was startled, aware of the flagrant arousal poking against her back, which was really stirring up some very, very disturbing desires.

Naruto, with a flick of his hand, set the culprit of their previous trouble aflame with a small jutsu. Once the problem was eradicated, his infamous one track mind returned to the woman in his arm. A small smirk crept to his lips, his hand sliding down on her velvet skin. She had been so responsive at his touch, that he was really tempted to continue further on and he was quite sure that she was ready for him to use something bigger than just his fingers. His mouth brushed her neck, sensually murmuring her name. He brushed a soft kiss over her nape, then another, testing her reaction before hungrily kissing her tender skin.

Sakura felt the familiar warmth spread throughout her body, she was so tempted to give in, to just let him do whatever he wanted to her. It was so delightful... She wanted him... A sparkle of consciousness in all this lust appear. However, she had to put a halt to his activities, sure that if he touched her more, she would completely lose it.

"Naruto! Stop!"

His mouth followed her jaw, leaving a trail of fire on her skin.

"Sakura-chan... You don't like it?" he mumbled in between kisses.

"I do... but... stop," she repeated, not really convinced as she melted more and more in his embrace.

"Sakura-chan... I want you..." he declared, looking at her and rubbing gently the small bud at her entrance. Her thoughts were cloudy, her mind filled with carnal cravings, but he was certainly not any better, judging by his steamy gaze.

 _Yeah, I want you, too!_

"I – We ..." she incoherently started.

His blue eyes grew serious suddenly, ceasing the movement of his hand, while he affectionately tightened his hold around her with his arm. "Sorry, Sakura-chan! I didn't know I'd hurt you that much, you should have hit me! Does it still hurt that badly?" he inquired guiltily.

"No... that's not it..." She began, but he cut her short.

"I'm so sorry!" he insisted, "I would have been more gentle, if I had known... I thought that you liked it and you were fine..."

Sakura grabbed his face to make him focus on her while calling his name, he stopped his blabbering but still looked as if he was eaten with remorse.

"I healed myself... I'm fine, Naruto... You've done nothing wrong." She sighed. "It's normal that it would hurt a little at the beginning and it..."—she blushed— "it felt good afterward...it was nice."

 _More than nice... He's a crazy sex genius!_ commented her inner-self.

A lovely pout appeared on his lips and too-cute-for-her-own-good big blue eyes faced her while he asked, "So why not now?"

Actually, looking again at him, she wondered if it was really that bad to get discovered by Sasuke tonight. However, reason won, she was still clearheaded enough to get a hold on herself.

"We're on a mission and if we don't come back soon, Sasuke might come search for us."

"Nah! No chance! I bet he's already sleeping..."

"We should go to rest, too..."

Naruto frowned. "No need to make up an excuse, Sakura-chan! If you don't want to. I won't force you," he said releasing her and taking a step away. He wanted her, it was a fact. He might need to rub himself off somewhere or he might explode, certainly. But he would never pressure her for something she didn't want to give.

She turned around to facing him. _Why does he always misunderstand me?_ "Naruto! Listen! Sasuke..."

"What about Sasuke again?" he burst off, just his friend name was able to ignite his irrational jealousy. "Do you still love him?" His eyes shined with hurt. "Do you regret what happened between us?"

 _Idiot!_

Sakura pounced on him, making him lose his balance by the surprise. Naruto fell backward with her, her mouth pressed against his. The water splashed all around them and they emerged to get some air the next instant. She was straddling him, keeping her arms around his neck, half of their body cooling down in the fresh water, her jade eyes locking with determination eyes bluer than a summer sky.

"I love you!" she stated. "I love you!" she repeated louder. "I. Love. You, Naruto!"

At least it silenced him.

"Can you stop doubting me? I told you, I'm not ready to announce it to our friends yet...Sasuke included," she explained, calmer.

"Sasuke lives with me, ya know... I doubt we can fool him... As irritating as he can be, he's a smart ass as well!" Naruto argued. He didn't really want to hide it from anyone, Sasuke and Rock Lee being at the top of the list he wanted to chase away from his girlfriend. "I want to date you... Hell! I want to marry you! Have kids, a dog... but no cat! Cats hate me, I don't know why..."

Naruto abruptly stopped, his expression deadly serious, assessing Sakura's reaction.

"Do you want to be my wife?" he asked solemnly.

Sakura looked at him deadpan under the shock of his incredible unique logic. There was a time his singular ingenuity surprised her and other moments, like now, she wondered how he could arrive to such a conclusion. She recognized that he deserved the title of 'yellow flash' for his newly mastered teleportation jutsu he learned from his father's scroll, but 'fast' should not be applied to everything.

"Naruto... We should take our time..." Sakura tried to say gently.

Naruto rubbed the bridge of his nose, displeased and thinking fast, or as fast as he could. He was unsure, a little lost he had to admit. Girls were too complicated and he remembered the way Shikamaru described them: 'troublesome'. Why can't guys receive a small manual on how girls work? It would be much simpler. Guys weren't that hard to understand, give food to Choji, Kiba or him and they were happy. Let Shikamaru do some cloud gazing and he was happy, some more training for Rock Lee, and Sasuke... No, Sasuke was not a normal guy anyway... or maybe... he likes tomatoes... yeah, even Sasuke would be more easy than a girl.

"OK... But do you still accept to be my girlfriend?" Naruto half asked, half pleaded. There was no use in arguing with Sakura, it was a lost battle. The best thing was to save what could be saved and put some solid ground between them.

Sakura chuckled lightly. This vulnerable side of him was so endearing. "I think I 'm already your girlfriend..."

She leaned forward and gave him a small peck on the lips. It wasn't enough for him though and came back to search for another, leading to a succession of kisses. The situation heated up fast, leaving them both panting and needy for more. She was powerless against him, he brought down all her defenses and she couldn't think clearly anymore. _This man was dangerous...really dangerous._ She could feel his turgid sex against her own. It was so tantalizing, she could just slide a little and he would be in her... she would feel him inside... she wanted to... He was driving her completely crazy.

"Naruto... Do you have another condom?" she asked, her voice filled with longing.

Naruto released her earlobe, realizing what it meant... unfortunately, he didn't have more. 'The condom' had been a gift-joke from the guys for his eighteenth birthday. He never bought one himself thinking that such a day would never come so soon.

"Sakura-chan... can your medicine work for now as well?" he asked in a hopeful tone.

She weighed the pros and the cons summarily, the less serious part of her brain arguing in favor of giving in the temptation. She knew Naruto was healthy, she was his doctor after all and she concluded the pregnancy risk being small or null as the medicine would forbid any fertilized ovum to nestle in the first place.

More than responding, she just kissed him ravenously, swaying her hips invitingly. It was all that he needed to give free reign to his desire. His hands generously grabbed her hips and lifted her just so to impale her on his hard, pulsating cock.

It was fantastic.

Their bodies were burning and the cool flow of water felt so refreshing on their heated skin. Sakura rocketed her hips, meeting each of Naruto thrusts, doubling the sensation as she rubbed against his pubis as his cock rooted deep inside her, adding to the building pleasurable pressure to create a magnificent orgasm. Fifteen minutes had yet to pass that they started their sexual activities and already her body was ready to explode, and he knew it...

His breath near her ears was intoxicating, there was something animal into it, something terribly erotic and elating, doubling the effect of his relentless pounding on this fabulous spot inside her. His hands were everywhere, caressing her back, her breasts, grabbing her hips savagely as he thrust into her violently. He kissed her, famished, devouring the skin he could reach. She wasn't any better as she nipped his neck with passion, fisting his hair in a punishing grip. It was so good. She didn't have the slightest discomfort like she had their first time, it was pure pleasure. The sensation of the water around them contrasting with his hot body, his hot member pulsing inside of her, was phenomenal. All her senses were ablaze, set out to feel him with every fiber of her being.

Naruto continued, persistently. Her body trembled and in the haze of her lustful state, she glanced at him with half-lidded eyes. She had been too lost to have a clear view of his face at their previous love making and now, now she saw him. She was dumbstruck, shocked beyond possible. _Has Naruto always been this sexy?_ His wet skin glistered under the moonlight. Shadows and soft silver light danced languorously on his body, emphasizing the perfect drawing of his muscles and their puckish movements. But most of all, his face... his face with the purest expression of desire was the sexiest sight ever. His lips partly open, released heavy puffs of hot breath, his blue eyes darker with excitation were looking straight at her, his cheeks painted red as if he had a fever... as if she was his fever.

She felt beautiful, alive and beautiful under his gaze.

Her moans were a melody to his ears, he could feel her on the edge. His hand sneaked between them, and his thumb began to rub circles around her clit. Her back arched, her body electric at his contact. She was so amazing that he thought his heart would break from its maddening beating. He would never have enough of her. Even if the pressure in his crotch was absolutely insane, he couldn't let go. He wanted more, stay in her longer... He wanted to stay connected. He wanted to keep her forever in his arms. She was just perfect for him, her slim waist was the ideal size for him to hold her tight with one arm, her breasts, round and perky, were flawless... just the right amount of everything to be lovingly fondled with his hands. And her ass... _Oh, God her ass..._ Her curves would give him an erection even if he fell into a coma.

Heat coiled in her deep core, her thighs tightened at his side encasing him with her legs. She wanted him, all of him. She pressed him more against her as if she could merge completely with him. She wanted more, she wanted him to hold her tighter, to dive into her harder, to possess her. Her hips rolled at a more frenetic pace, she could feel him inside of her, intumescent, blazing. She could feel his in and out motion, each of his thick sliding thrusts, invading her, conquering all of her. In her mind-numbing state, she forced her eyes open to lock them with his gaze. The next instant, she swooped on his mouth, capturing his lips in an ardent kiss.

They were so close, so close and she knew he was holding back. She could feel him, the pulsation, the swelling of his cock. There was no need for word to share all of their sensations, all of them, as if they were just one body. She wanted him as much as he wanted her.

"Come... Come with me, Naruto... I want us to have the same pleasure..." she whispered breathlessly releasing his lips.

Glassy blue encountered foggy green. He kissed her back, pounding more ferociously. His rhythm grew jagged, brisker. He couldn't pull much out without being sucked back by her clenching walls. He was gonna die from pleasure, a fire was burning his body, the sweat was making his skin too slippery for her fingers to grab him, the water of the river wasn't able anymore to cool him down. His hips matched her, meeting her in a form of frenzy. They were both far too gone... just a bit more...

Sakura's orgasm shattered her, her breath caught in her throat as her vision blurred. Her last sight was his face, his pupil so large that his irises seemed almost black. She felt his last thrust, going further in, a last jerk and then filled with this warmth. She had thought that she had imagined it her first time, but she was sure now. This warmth was real, this warmth was him, his pleasure filling her in the deepest part of her. She wanted to see him more, to witness his elated expression, however, her own blissful state consumed all her energy and she couldn't do more than just slump against his strong body like a ragged doll.

Her head rested on his shoulder for a long moment, neither of them moving or talking. Intertwined and immobile in each other embrace, their hearts pounding loudly, sharing the same frenetic beat. Naruto was the first to recover, and his arms still heavy, slowly caressed her spine back and forth on all the emerged part of her back. After, he dropped a small kiss at the junction between her shoulder and her neck, followed by a contented sight before pressing her a bit more against his chest tenderly.

"I really, really love you, Sakura-chan," Naruto said, his cheek resting against her hair. "I've loved you all my life... You can't even imagine how much, I swear!" He kissed her hair. "I think I will love you until my last breath."

Sakura squeezed him more, tears brimming her eyes. She loved him. He was so important for her. He was the most important person in her life... and it felt amazing to have her love returned... to be loved by him.

"I love you, too," she murmured her voice wavering with the tears.

Naruto got immediately alarmed by her cracking voice and straightened up to have a look at her face. "Did I hurt you again?" he asked her, worried.

Sakura smiled at him, shaking her head. "I'm just happy..." she genuinely said. She felt so loved, it was so good, that she was overwhelmed by emotions.

Naruto kissed tenderly her forehead. "You make me really happy, too, ya know..."

 **THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT! YOUR REVIEW ARE MY MOTIVATION TO WORK!**


	6. Chapter 6

_**THANKS TO SAVAGEHUNGER47 FOR BETA READING IT**_

 ** _Sorry for the delay,_ _I_ _am sailing right now and not having much internet access.  
_**

 _spanky1988 . aw:Thank you, here is chapter 6_

 _YeagerMeister: Thank you happy that you liked the lemon_

 _DiizGiirlJess: Naruto is just so... so hot, and cute! Thank you!_

 _Orangana: Thanks! Happy that you liked it!_

 _Bojan:I needed to rush it a little, for the next chapter coming after. But in a way, their romance is not rushed as it have took him 10 years to have the girl. It's just that those two idiot didn't confessed properly. (first chapter,_ _I_ _told that Sakura is in the utmost denial and he tried to hide his overflowing love... so it was clear that they loved each other in this story) Thanks for your support._

 _Eight heroes: thank you very much._ _I_ _hope you will continue to like it!_

 _Rosachi-hime: Thank you very much! It's not too late and there is two other stories apart from this one if you like NaruSaku (How_ _I_ _fell in love with my best frriend / Dangerous infiltration mission)_

 _joey91731: There is so much love between them that it's a shame that the real Naruto trashed this canon couple. Thank you!_

 _Maxslayer10:_ _I_ _don't know if the story will get as far as your prediction... you might get some surprise along the way. Hehe! thank you!_

 _Troa95: We're both pervert... me certainly more as_ _I_ _am the one writing such a perverted chapter hehe. You already know the rest, but as_ _I_ _told you..._ _I_ _made some modification to adapt to your comment. Thaks for your help!_ _I_ _hope_ _I_ _wont disappoint you._

 _Drew: Sorry for the slow update,_ _I_ _am traveling and it hard to write, make correct and update with not much time available or internet connection. To have this fic goes on and on,_ _I_ _will need a lot of support to fight the days_ _I_ _feel like escaping my computer and ditch it on the side forever._ _I_ _really appreciated your review. It have kept me working for days. It's incredible how much a review can give me hope. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. And for my English, it's all thzank to the hard work f my beta reader to make it to a readable level. Thank you!_

 _Xblackxhunterx: Thank you._ _I_ _hope you will really like the mess_ _I_ _will create hehe_

 _tiny . tanaka: I'm glad that you stopped by my fic even without reading M or NaruSaku, and that you liked it._ _I_ _agree with you, I don't like either SasuSaku and NaruHina. Sakura have her husband away for 12 years and Naruto sleep on the couch most of the night... It's not an happy ending in my taste. So for what_ _happened_ _next, please keep following the story. Thank you very much for your support._

 _Guest: Thank you!_

 _Akamatt: Thank you!_

 _Alphadark19:The intimate scene was not only to satisfy the pervert in me, it's mostly to show the strong connection between them, the love at all the level of their being._ _I_ _am happy that you liked it and hope you will continue to like the story. Thank you_

 _Blaze01245: Was it an important conversation? Hehe...Thank you_

 _Infinite3: sorry,_ _I_ _was at sea without internet... sorry for the delay._ _I_ _update this story generally every 3 weeks. For the size of the chapters, they are actually longer than for my previous stories. Thank you for your support, your review are my motivation to keep working._

 _Touken: Sorry for the delay,_ _I_ _am sailing and_ _I_ _needed to get to a decent internet access to upload my chapter. Thank you for reminding me, it have motivate me to take my computer in town today during our stop._

 _ **Chap 6: An abyssal hatred**_

Sasuke discreetly opened an eye at the sound of his teammates coming back to the campsite. He saw the two silhouettes take form from the shadows of the forest, and closed his eyes to go back to sleep. Tomorrow will be like any other day, as if nothing happened between them. Naruto had sulked longer than usual, however, now his steps seemed lighter. A small smirk stretched on his face, it was good that the idiot was the forgiving type. Whatever Sakura said to him, she had been able to bring back his usual cheerfulness. This was something Sasuke was grateful for, and jealous about at the same time. Sakura was an unavoidable part of their team, always trying to fix everything, even if, in the end, she was the real cause of all the mess.

Naruto settled himself on his mat at one side of the fire, while Sakura lay down on the other side. They had agreed... or more, he had agreed to keep it secret for a bit, Sakura promised him that she just wanted a couple of days to adjust. His head resting on his folded arm, Naruto locked eyes with her, mouthing a silent 'I love you' followed with a grin so wide it nearly split his face in half. She blushed, deeply touched by the attention, and gestured for him to keep quiet, aware that Sasuke wasn't as asleep as he pretended to be.

XXXXX

The morning light was still far, dawn probably no more than two or more hours away, and Naruto was really unwilling to get up.

"Hey, wake up Naruto!" called Sasuke, shaking his shoulder without an ounce of delicacy.

Naruto muttered incoherently, keeping his eyes shut, only the word "bastard" standing out of his unintelligible sentence was understandable enough for Sasuke to figure out that Naruto knew it was him. For a man who was supposed to be a highly skilled ninja, but the only ability the blond seemed to have was the deep and deadliest form of sleep possible.

Sakura slid her headband on after she finished fixing her hair, unfazed by Naruto's usual sleeping habit and offered to take care of their teammate. Sasuke's brow twitched, she was nice but unwelcome for this task. He'd been pulling Naruto out of his bed every morning since he came back to the village, and he didn't care if she had previously been doing it for many years before him. He was here now, and he didn't need her help. His hand gripped the blond's shoulder harder, digging more into the flesh and shook the slumbered man more roughly, not letting Naruto any chance to stay asleep.

Naruto blinked, yawning so wide it was amazing that he didn't dislocate his jaw. He scratched his head lazily, as he stretched his other arm above his head. "What for? Can't you be a little bit nicer to me sometimes?" he said sitting up straight with a frown.

However, his good mood returned as soon he caught sight of Sakura, standing behind Sasuke, attaching her medical pouch at her back. An inadvertent grin broke out across his face. But, for crying out loud just looking at her he could feel how much in love he was with the girl.

Sasuke fumed at being ignored. He was just a few centimeters from his best friend and was nearly invisible to him. The last Ushiha poked the blond's forehead with his finger to gain his attention again, and Naruto forced a sterner expression on his face, trying his best to keep his promise to not tell a single soul about his new relationship with Sakura.

"Why are you searching for a fight so early? The sun if not even up!" The blond angrily rubbed the spot while childishly pouting at the man crouched at his side.

"How can you sleep so soundly while on a mission? Seriously?! Are you really a ninja? You're so careless... You will get yourself killed one day!" Sasuke haughtily lectured.

"You're all wrong, Sasuke, Dattebayo! I can sense miles around if there's evil chakra or someone with murderous intent. I can perfectly take care of myself. Look! I was even named future Hokage before you came back to the village. Next year, I'll take Kakashi-sensei spot," Naruto retorted with self-importance.

Sasuke snickered at the comment, but was ready with a comeback. "Sometimes, I think the council force-teamed us together, not for you to keep an eye on the last Ushiha, but for me to keep you alive until you become Hokage... I guess once you get the job, you'll have your own private ANBU team to guard your butt, Usuratonkachi," he teased, immediately earning a twitch from Naruto's eyebrow for calling him by his 'favorite' nickname.

Naruto glared daggers at him, but Sasuke smirked proudly before Sakura came to stand in between her two teammates. "Not now... You two injured yourself enough yesterday and we're not even at the location for the mission. Keep your fighting in check, and use your aggression to each other against our enemies instead." Sakura scolded them affectionately, her hands on her hips. "Come on! The sooner we finish the mission, the sooner we'll get home!" she chirped happily, turning around to pack her mat..

Naruto looked at Sasuke and sighed. "Sakura is right... Let's go!" he said, easily agreeing with his girlfriend.

The blond immediately jumped to his feet and reached out his hand to help Sasuke up. His teammate accepted it with a small smile, standing up by his side nonchalantly. Their friendship was unbreakable, no fight or argument could stand between them. Naruto rubbed the back of his neck uneasy, remembering another thing he promised Sakura the previous night.

"I'm sorry for my short temper yesterday, ttbayo... I-I shouldn't have lashed out on you due to my frustration," he blurted.

Sasuke watched Naruto curiously. They fought on a regular basis, they made up the next instant or, at worst, the next day. But Naruto never apologized, nor would he. It was like a non-verbal agreement between them. He frowned, guessing that it was all Sakura's doing.

"Did she told you to apologize?" Sasuke asked accusingly. _How annoying._

"No!" Naruto shouted, but one doubting glare from Sasuke told him that he didn't believe him one bit. Naruto was terrible at lying, it was still one of his biggest weakness to overcome before becoming Hokage. "Yeah… I mean, we talked yesterday... and... she had some valid points. I've been a jerk to you, and I shouldn't have punched you in the first place," the blond admitted, quite reluctantly.

Fighting wasn't a solution to solve problems, Sasuke could agree with it, but this kind of verbal effusion were out of the question for him. Couldn't they imagine how hard it must have been for him to say 'sorry' at the end of the war- to not want to repeat the process again anytime soon? Even if he had his part in the fight, there was no way he would do it, too

"Hnn," The former rogue ninja acknowledged. Over his dead body, that's when someone would be able to pull a 'sorry' out of him again. "Whatever... Let's get going... We have a mission." _Idiot! Now I feel guilty..._

Naruto playfully punched his best friend's shoulder and hooked his arm around Sasuke's neck while laughing. "Yeah! Let's finish that and have some good ramen back home… It will be my treat!"

Sasuke snorted. "How unusual... generally you always try to make me pay our tab... Do we have something to celebrate?" he mocked.

Naruto realized with striking horror that he had let his happiness about his new relationship affect his mood. Sasuke wasn't an idiot and would be suspicious. "If you insist... You pay!" the blond retorted mischievously, a huge cheeky grin on his face.

Sasuke pushed the blond's head away. "I should have guess that it was one of your tricks..." _It will be my payback for the 'sorry ' that I'll never say._

XXXXXX

The way toward the old fort turned to be more joyous, Naruto's good mood rubbing off onto Sasuke. The two men were jumping side-by-side on the branches, Naruto doing most of the talking and Sasuke sporting a discreet smile from time to time at the antics of his best friend. Sakura decided to travel a few steps behind them after noticing Naruto absurdly staring at her before leaving the camp, making it obvious that something was up between them. Her new boyfriend, she giggled internally at the admission, was as readable as an open book, and if she wanted to keep their new relationship a secret for a couple more days—although she was being optimistic about giving Naruto that much time and way too ambitious because of how much of a bad liar Naruto was, she thought it best to stay out of his direct line of sight.

Sakura observed the two tall figures in front of her, Naruto especially as her inner-self was blabbering incessantly about last night. Part of her couldn't believe it, it had been so surreal. First their unexpected confession. How many years wasted for a dumb misunderstanding? Then, their love making... It had been more on the spurt of the moment than really anything that she imagined herself doing. She never had thought of herself as the type of girl who would have sex with her boyfriend the first night they confessed. But Naruto wasn't a stranger, nor the type to be a one-night stand. Naruto was honest, always. She knew him since... forever. She trusted him. He told her that he loved her, and Naruto wouldn't lie about something like that.

Sakura leaned backward at an awkward angle as she avoided in extremis a branch lower than the others. She sighed in relief, regaining her footing. Her daydreaming state was dangerous for the mission, and she berated herself to stay focused on the path instead of her love life. There was a time for everything, she had spent the last five years thinking that they were just best friend, she could wait few more days to change status. He loved her, that was all that mattered now, she could be a bit more patient.

XXXXXX

Naruto stopped abruptly in his tracts, his head turned to the East, all senses on alert as a hunting dog who smelled prey. His two teammates landed by his sides trying to guess what the blond could have detected. A chill ran fast down Naruto's spine and in a blink, he jumped in the direction of the threat, calling his teammates to come with him.

"There's something dark and abnormal moving fast toward a village two kilometers away... It's massive! Stay on your guard!" Naruto informed them while leading the group.

Sasuke was just one step behind his best friend, following him with blind faith. He couldn't sense anything, even if Naruto described it as being massive. It was not a chakra, nor any other form of energy as he was sure to have detected it a little at least otherwise. Whatever it was, Naruto was serious about it. The junjuriki's face betrayed the gravity of the situation, his goofy personality buried under his responsibilities as a ninja to protect people. It didn't matter to Sasuke what danger lay ahead of him, whatever Naruto would do, he would go with it, even if it meant going to hell to accompany him.

Bouncing between the branches, jump after jump without any hesitation, cloud of leaves hiding their forms from untrained eyes, team seven moved at incredible speeds, without much of an exchange between them. From time-to-time, Sasuke glanced at his best friend, evaluating Naruto's emotions as they were at the same branch for a split second. Fists clenched tight, jaw tensed and brows furrowed with concern, Naruto displayed such a shocking expression at that instant, Sasuke wondered what could bring Naruto in such a disturbed state. What exactly was he feeling or sensing?

The answer came fast as they caught up with the trail of the unknown danger, but unfortunately, again, the dark-haired ninja wasn't able to see it with his own eyes. Only Naruto seemed to be able to perceive its form and exact whereabouts. A Rasenshuriken materialized in the blond's hand and Sasuke prepared Amaterasu to follow him. He just needed to synchronize his movements with Naruto to double the attack.

The world seemed to become silent, the wind sucked away as if to gather in the blond's palms. This is when Sasuke understood what it was. That thing had erased all forms of life around them. That thing had no chakra, nor did it have energy. It was as if it was an anti-matter creature, able to nullify all forms of life. The crashing sound of destruction brought by the impact of the Rasenshuriken reverberated down to the core of Sasuke's bones. The last Ushiha lunged his arm forward, above his best friend's head, and threw his Amaterasu, guessing the position of their invisible enemy.

Naruto screamed, "On the left!" and instinctively Sakura punched the ground to create a wall of rock, blocking any escape routes. However, something went wrong. No wall could hold back that thing, and the mass continued to move forward as if it was attracted to the girl. Wide eyed, Naruto saw it all and attacked head-on. His fist penetrated the occult miasma, he was the only one who could act, the only one who knew where that thing was, and the only one who could protect his Sakura.

From the outside, his teammates could only witness the deformed sight of his fist and hear Naruto's restrained grunt of pain. The scene teared open something in Sasuke's brain. The Ushiha pulled out his katana, rage oozing from his being, his arm already engulfed in his Sasuno armor, and cut through the unidentifiable enemy with raw, dark power. Not a single breath escaped his closed lips, his expression hard and cold as a death god. The blast was violent, and for a brief instant, Sasuke looked like the epitome of the devil, his murderous glare as somber as ink contrasting on his pale skin. His unnatural beauty glowing even more as anger swallowed his heart, as if his only form of humanity was solely reserved for Naruto.

A clear slicing sound echoed through the clearing.

The blond fell limply to his knees, drained of energy as soon as the miasma vanished. Sakura jumped above the wall to reach him, her hands already activated to heal his injury, while Sasuke looked down on the couple, his teeth grinding with ire. He was furious. No! He was beyond furious. _How could Naruto be so careless?_ Night-like iris glared at the woman, the cause of Naruto reckless behavior. _Always her. Always_.

"Are you okay, Naruto? Can you feel your fingers?" Sakura gently asked as she treated her boyfriend's hand.

Naruto chuckled awkwardly, his cheeks pink with a mixture of embarrassment and excitement to have her touch him. "I'm fine Sakura-chan... It's nothing at all," he lied to reassure her.

Cut short as to punctuate his sentence, Sasuke coldly planted the tip of his sword in between Naruto's parted legs, the blade standing menacingly just an inch away from the blond's crotch. "Usuratonkachi! Never pull a stunt like that again! Use your brain if you have one!" Sasuke sarcastically growled.

"Oi! Bastard! Take off your thorn away from me! I had no choice! The dark cloud was going straight to Sakura-chan," Naruto said, trying to justify his actions.

Sasuke briefly glanced toward the pinkette. He knew that Naruto did it to protect her. _Her. Always her._ A spurt of anger boiled through his veins. What would he become if he lost his last bond with life, his last anchor to sanity?

"You're the next Hokage! Your life has more value than hers!" Sasuke bluntly stated before receiving a violent blow in the jaw from Naruto, projecting him in the air.

"A life is a life! There is nothing as a life with more or less value! What kind of friend would I be if I didn't try to rescue her... or you? Hokage or not, I will put my life on the line to keep you all safe," Naruto affirmed earnestly.

"Tsss..." Sasuke cleaned the blood at the corner of his mouth with the back of his sleeve. There was nothing that would make change Naruto's mind.

Sakura sternly grabbed Naruto's wrist. "Stay quiet and sit!" she ordered. "I haven't finished with your treatment yet and you're already throwing fists all over the place. Look! It's bleeding now!" she berated him.

She could feel Naruto's eyes on her and felt her face heating up. Naruto always protected her against anything and everything, but she wasn't a powerless woman. "Next time, just tell me where it is and I will punch it myself," she mumbled shyly, not daring to say that she didn't want to see him hurt.

"No, it's fine... It's better if it's me... I regenerate faster than you and you can always heal me," Naruto insisted.

"Don't be stupid... with the strength of a hundred seal I can regenerate as much as you," she argued, making Naruto frown in disapproval at the idea of putting her in danger.

"Instead of deciding who could get hurt, tell us what that thing looked like, any information that could help us..." Sasuke pointed out judiciously.

Naruto rubbed his chin trying to remember. "It's tall, like three meters high... dark... a complete dark cloud... it seemed like it's made from abyssal hatred." He searched for a pertinent information. "First, when we attacked, the cloud dissolved and changed direction as to escape us... and then when I tried to punch it, it didn't dissolve or try to avoid me. It closed itself around my arm, becoming solid matter, and it was trying to drain me from my chakra. Then, it went back to its immaterial form and flew away when you cut it."

Sasuke's brow furrowed as he processed the detail of his friend's tale. "And where it is now?"

Naruto pointed his finger in direction of the south, the same direction to the fort, where they were supposed to go. "It can't be a coincidence that Kakashi-sensei sent us there... Something fishy must be going on in this fort."

XXXXX

Team seven arrived at the fort. They stayed for a couple of minute observing the holding carefully hidden in a tree. Sasuke scanned the area with his activated sharingan to note any abnormalities. Old stones lying on the ground were covered with heavy vegetation. No signs of life seemed to show at first glance, but Naruto told them that he could clearly feel some evil intent inside, proof that someone or something was inside the fort.

A slight breeze passed by them, the scent of damp wood and wet herbs carried to them in the wind. Somewhere nearby, rain was falling, lifting in the moistened air, the characteristic smell of the forest. Giving more attention to the sound, they could already hear the small clatter of drops.

"We should go inside before the rain, we would be too noticeable if we got wet, "Sakura whispered. Both men nodded at the suggestion, and cautiously proceeded to enter the fort.

Sasuke led the group through an opening he spotted. The passage wasn't large, just a few blocks of rock removed from the thick wall, just big enough for someone to crawl in. They landed in a corridor with a single door at the end of it. Sakura worked through the lock and the wooden door stridently creaked, as if angered to be forced open after what seemed like an eternity closed. The room was pitch black, and a stuffy smell lingered around. Sasuke lit a small flame in the palm of his hand so they could see clearly around. Couple of wooden boxes were stacked up in a corner, few rotten bags, some old swords hanging in their sheath on the wall, a powder keg with the side broken, spilling its contents on the floor.

Sasuke hurriedly extinguished his flame. It was not the moment to get noticed, nor to light fireworks. With a firm tug on the metal, he broke open the next lock. A corridor separated in two distinctive directions stood in front of them and Naruto pushed his way to the front

.

"I can feel something coming from down there, follow me!" he ordered taking the left side.

The fort placed at the extreme end of the Fire country, just facing the sea, must have been a stronghold to protect the land from any maritime invasion in the ancient era. The weapons found inside were all rusted and looked like fossil antiquity, which could easily be in a military museum. However, even if this place had once, in its glory days, been top notch in its defensive structure, its lame traps and defense still protecting its secret was nothing close to a challenge to overcome for three outstanding ninja like them.

Naruto blocked, with a Kunai, a mechanism supposed to launch spears to any unwelcome visitor before opening the door leading to basement stairs. Their footsteps muffled to be quasi inaudible, they progressed further down in complete silence. Already, some sound emerged from the dark belly of this out-of-date fortress. People. There were people inside.

Sakura leaned forward to Naruto's ear. "Can you sense the dark matter we met in the forest?" she asked at low voice.

Naruto shook his head. "There is definitely some evil intent here, but nothing as dark as before..."

The blond glanced over his shoulder at his two teammates. "There are different groups. One deep down there and another on the second level..." He made his signature hand sign, and a shadow clone appeared in a puff of smoke. "We'll separate here, my shadow clone will guide you and should be able to detect the dark matter, Sasuke."

The last Ushiha nodded and looked at Sakura half hidden behind Naruto's back. Something in the back of his mind made him feel uncomfortable, something in this so familiar picture of Naruto standing in front of her was screaming of all the wrongness of the situation. He should have said something. He should, but the words were stuck down in his throat, so he left, jumping down the black hole with the blond's clone in tow.

 **THANKS FOR YOUR REVIEWS, THEY KEEP ME WORKING...**


	7. Chapter 7

**CHAPTER CORRECTED THANK TO SAVAGEHUNGER47 FOR BETA READING IT**

 _ **General note:**_ _ **I**_ _ **can't have both more**_ _ **length**_ _ **in my chapters and more update at the same time. It maybe don't look like it, but**_ _ **I**_ _ **have tried to improve the quality of my writing, so it take me awfully long to have something done. As well, finishing 'How**_ _ **I**_ _ **fell in love with my best friend' won't help either as**_ _ **I**_ _ **finished writing my first story months ago and**_ _ **I**_ _ **was mostly using the reviews received on the first to keep me motivated on 'All over again'. So it's actually most likely that**_ _ **I**_ _ **will struggle more to not abandon this story without a steady support.**_

 _YeagerMeister31:I think this chapter will answer your previous question. Thank you_

 _Guess007:_ _I_ _don't think_ _I_ _will do crossover as_ _I_ _don't know much the other fandom._

 _Exonaww: Thank you very much._ _I_ _am glad that you like the story._ _I_ _love Naruto's love, he's such a sweet-heart._

 _DiizGiirlJess: Thank you very much!_ _I_ _hope the wait was worth it._

 _UzumakiDavis27: Everything depend what you define by bad? A bad event or my story turning sour._ _I_ _hope you will continue to like it. Thank you_

 _orangana: Naruto is Sasuke's first and only bond. He didn't have any connection as strong with anyone else. Naruto have plenty of people he call friends, but Sasuke, it have always been Naruto and Naruto only (the only person he wanted to kill to get rid of his last bond before the end of the war). Naruto is the only one who count for him. Thank you for your support._

 _D-Ranked Writer: Sorry_ _I_ _am terrible with summary. But_ _I_ _didn't write this story description just for the first chapter (there was a reason behind it)._ _I_ _hope you will continue to like it. Thank you for your support._

 _Joey91731: Thank you!_ _I_ _hope the wait was bearable._

 _Xblackxhunterx: Don't worry, there will be a time for everything. Thank you! :)_

 _Akamatt: Thank you! It's strange that everyone find my chapters short as they are actually longer than the chapters in my previous stories._

 _Aqua Rules:_ _I_ _think it would be a shame to not dig in Sasuke's mind, and Sasuke is recovering from his dark past, he's more coming back to his humanity from his genin time, but still with some scar to it._ _I_ _hope you like it._

 _Troa95: Thank you to be here even if you had a glimpse of it beforehand. Thank you very much!_

 _Eremika: Naruto have always love Sakura more than anything. For the length of the chapters, they are actually longer than my previous stories. I'm not the type to write very huge chapters._ _I_ _prefer to release shorter chapter regularly than one big every year._

 _Saraa: How_ _I_ _fell in love was completely written since december 2016._ _I_ _was using the review on it to keep me motivated on writing new stuff. Review are what keep me working. Thank you for your support, you're the reason,_ _I_ _am able to write._

 _Lauren: Thank you very much! Updating more often need more time, How_ _I_ _fell in love have nothing to do with my ability to write this story. It was completely written since december 2016._ _I_ _was using the review on it to keep me motivated on writing new stuff. Your support is the reason,_ _I_ _am able to write._

 _Guest:_ _I_ _was just waiting for you to read this story and review it to update ;) Thank you very much for your support!_

 _Katus293: thank you very much!_ _I_ _hope you will continue to like it._

 _ **Chap 7: The day the world fell apart**_

Finally alone on the gray stairway, Naruto turned toward Sakura, a big grin on his face, and winked at her before grabbing her hand.

"Naruto! We're on a mission!" Sakura rebuked, face red for the intimate gesture which was distracting her way too much.

"I'm just guiding you," the blond argued playing innocent, gently squeezing her fingers between his.

She slightly punched his shoulder. "Naruto, it's not the time for that..."

"I wanted to hold you from the second I opened my eyes... Let me at least hold your hand for a bit... just few minutes!" he pleaded with puppy dog eyes.

She was hopelessly lost when he looked at her that way. How could she say no? The best she could do was to fake being unhappy with it. "Do as you please, but you will have to release me before we arrive at the location. I need my two hands to punch," Sakura retorted pretending to scowl on him.

Whatever she did, it didn't get the effect she hoped as Naruto's smile grew even bigger, as if he knew that she wasn't honest with herself. She huffed and followed him, secretly enjoying the warmth of his hand. The gesture was simple, but made her feel wanted and needed. It was so easy to be with him like this, to let him guide her, to just be together. There was no heartache of rejection, no double meaning behind anything he was doing. Naruto was a trustworthy person, this incredible pillar in her life. With him, she always felt safe, courageous, gave her the feeling that she was able to do anything. She knew she shouldn't be thinking about their new relationship right now, but she felt so happy in at that second, so loved.

Her gaze darted to study his profile. In the darkness of the place, she was just able to guess it's contour and distinguish some of his features. The small curve of his ear, his jaw, strong and masculine. She could somehow recognize the whiskered marks on his cheeks—darker than his skin natural color. His eyes were focused in front, watchful of any danger. Then, as if feeling her stare on him, his attention diverted toward her, a gentle smile creeping on his lips.

"I like being with you, even if we're stuck on a mission," he told her, lifting their joined hands to kiss her fingertips.

Sakura internally thanked the darkness obscuring Naruto's view, hoping that he couldn't see her face changing color. She loved being with him too. She couldn't pinpoint when he had begun to take such a large space in her heart — when her heart exactly shifted toward him, or when she stopped seeing him as an annoying kid, and his presence began to grow within her. She couldn't remember if it was for all the courageous things he has done, his kindness or his cheerfulness. She didn't know and she didn't care, because the only thing she knew was that he was her precious person. They had grown up together, stood side-by-side for years. They had shared joy and pain, a lifetime of incredible moments, the two of them against all odds, and he was all she needed. She let herself get pulled by him, her heart crazily thumping in her chest to just be with him.

They continued their progression on the eroded stone, some of them cracked under their weight, but not enough to break and reveal their position. They entered a passage at the second level under the ground. The voices became more and more clearer as they advanced. A small light passed from underneath a door on the right. Rough voices of men were now distinguishable, and the two ninjas securely stayed hidden in the shadows of the corridor a moment to eavesdrop some of the conversation.

The men were talking about an exchange, something about stones, power, but what were they exchanging was still unclear. Were they waiting for a ship to come here and deliver something? Did they have accomplices? Business partners? What was the purpose of all that? Sakura listened attentively, her ear stuck against the door. From all the information Kakashi had shared with them about this place, she couldn't figure out the link between those men and the talisman they were supposed to retrieve. Was it pure coincidence? The dark matter? The talisman? And now these men?

The scrapping sound of chairs against the ground signaled that the men were on their move. Without even exchanging a glance, the two ninjas concealed their presence, safely hidden on a beam near the ceiling. The two silhouettes melting into the shadows. Naruto and Sakura observed the men passing underneath them, evaluating their potential abilities. They were a group of men around their forties. Most of them had wide shoulders and good muscular structures.

Even if their physical disposition seemed quite good, by the way they were walking, Sakura could easily guess that they weren't ninja. Their steps, way too oafish, couldn't be one of a ninja. Maybe they were some mercenaries doing some nasty work for money? Her gaze stayed a little longer on the man in front. What was troubling her wasn't the weapons attached to his belts, cutlass and daggers presenting no real menace for them. What was strange was the sheaf of seals she could see in the open pouch the man carried.

The man was shorter than the others, but his face expressed a certain cruelty. A long scar ran from his left ear up to the crown of his head. His unkempt beard made his whole allure more fearsome, not to mention his dark eyes had a constant frown in them. It was an easy supposition to think he was the leader as he was walking in front, and the other men seemed deferential around him.

The group passed through two corridors and one set of stairs before entering a vaulted cellar. Staying protected behind a pillar, Naruto and Sakura observed their surroundings. At the back of the room was a cell filled with undignified corpses, all in ragged clothes, their skin sticking to their bones. If one of them hadn't moved, trying to escape the rough hand grabbing him, they would never have guessed that those prisoners were still alive.

Big protruding eyes appeared, wide in his emaciated face, and the frightened scream of his broken voice pierced Naruto deep down in his heart. If it wasn't for the hand that caught him before he jumped into action, he would have blown their cover to save this powerless soul, dragged without care by that brute. Sakura kept a firm hold on her teammate, knowing all too well what he wanted to do. As unpredictable as Naruto could be, there was some pattern in his behavior that she could now foretell with folded eyes.

"Not now, Naruto, we need to know where he is taking him," she breathed in his ear.

The blond tightened his fist, but nodded, accepting the advice. He waited for the group of mercenaries to leave the room to make his hand sign. A puff of smoke accompanied the apparition of two clones.

"Free the kids and lead them outside!" Naruto ordered with a mid-voice to his clones before following Sakura through the corridor.

The poor victim struggled, kicked the air, thrashed around to break the deathly grip of his persecutor. His eyes never closed even once as he was forced down another corridor. The overly large pupils frenetically moving in all direction, in search of an escape, in search for help. His desperate plea didn't bring him more leniency from his executioner and until the last second, the miracle didn't come.

The group of brutes entered a vast chamber with a well at the center. Thirty men dressed in a dark cloak were assembled in two half circles around the well, letting an open line oriented from east to west. Most of their features were unidentifiable, covered by a heavy hood, making them look like faceless ghosts. The leader of the brutes approached and carefully placed the seals on the ground to draw a circle. Then he signaled his man to bring the victim before himself, retreating few steps backward.

There, in the middle of the seals, stood the petrified victim, the seals working to keep him immobile during the whole ceremony. Instantly, the small pieces of paper flared up all together, creating an ominous fire. The scared expression craved in the victim's face clearly appeared in this new light. It was just a teenager of, at most, fourteen years old, even if his hair, greyish with dirt, and bony malnourished and tortured body made him look like an old man at Death's doorstep. He couldn't move, he couldn't scream, he couldn't even close his eyes to escape this nightmare. He knew. He knew than none of those that left through this corridor ever returned. The ghost would eat him.

Naruto gave a quick glance to his partner. She knew what was the next step and activated her healing hand ready to receive the unfortunate boy once Naruto stole him away from this 'ceremony'. A small smile stretched across the blond's face, teamwork was a second nature between them after ten years together. Sakura nodded and Naruto's hand shined from his tail-beast mode. In a blink, the gigantic shinning hand extended toward the kid and grabbed him.

Everything went so fast, that the boy didn't realized what happened. In front of him, a beautiful pink haired woman was telling him things that his confused brain couldn't register. Around her hands were a soothing green glowing effect. Was she an angel? Was he already dead? The crashing sound behind him surprised him. He was not dead yet and his brain finally caught up with reality. He was still in the damned room. He wanted to run away, but his legs were still petrified. Trembling like a leaf, his eyes looked over his shoulder to see his persecutors.

Something he could never have imagined possible, something unfolded in front of his stunned eyes that made him doubt his lucidity. A single man, shinning gold, like the sun, was destroying the ritual site and was rounding up the brutes and the 'ghost-men'.

"Run!" he heard a voice say, and his attention returned to the woman by him. "Run away, we will take care of them," the woman confidently added, straitening her gloves on her hands before running to join the golden man.

XXXXX

With a muffled sound, the body slouched on the ground as Sasuke release the man's collar— after he finished looking in his memories to search for the localization of the talisman, or other information about the dark matter Naruto mentioned in the forest. Once again, the blond accompanying him looked at him expectantly, waiting for him to share whatever information he may have discovered.

Sasuke locked eyes with the blue orbs and shook his head. Instantly, he could read the disappointment on the face of his best friend's copy. Clones were as easy to read as their creator. Sasuke drew a small smile at the thought of Naruto. It was somewhat good that the guy had kept his overly genuine nature even with all the drama their life put them through.

"Come on, let's continue to search... there must be one at least that know something," Sasuke commented even if he doubted more and more this fact.

There definitely was something abnormal with the situation. He had looked in the memories of about twelve people. Three prisoners and the nine watchmen, and none of them had any relevant information. He could have guessed that the prisoners would be clueless, they were just a bunch of countryside kids who had been captured, put in a bag and throw in a cell. None of them knew anything, the only face they had seen was the one of the watchmen and the story they heard to scare them was one of ghosts eating little kids.

But, even the watchmen were as confusing. They were bandits, they did not know a single thing, just followed the orders of a bald man with a scar. In their brain, there was this cell and another cell with a second group of men—maybe the one the real Naruto went after—few corridors, a kitchen, a dormitory, a room with table and chairs—possibly where they eat and discussed things—a room with a well that the guys occasionally cleaned, the rooftop with a view of the sea and the forest around.

Those guys didn't look part of the kidnapping as all their memories were just connected to the fort. Even as low life scum, it was easy to understand why Naruto had sensed their evil intentions. Their daily lives were just a succession of nasty actions: torture, rape and murder on those innocent victims.

Sasuke clenched his fists. Being in the Fire country, those people were under the rules of the Fire Damyo and with no order to kill, he couldn't dispose of those useless garbage without, at least, the Hokage approval.

The order they received for the mission was just to retrieve a talisman kept inside this fort. It had previously been own by a long-gone clan. The exact power or purpose of this talisman was unknown, as only speculations and legends surrounded the said object. The extinguished clan was of no great value, not known to be particularly strong or with any specific bloodline. They had just followed the destiny of all those greedy clans, destroying itself in their quest for internal power. From the rumor, the last thirty survivors tried to escape by sea from this fort before being found slaughtered. Since then, the rumor of their clan's talisman was supposedly hidden here.

Sasuke released the next man, with the same lack of success. He was beginning to wonder if those men and the talisman's research mission were really related. But, something deep intuitively told him that there was no coincidence in the gathering of the dark matter, some bandits and Konoha ninja's elite. Even if those men didn't know anything, Kakashi hadn't sent them here on a fortuity hunch.

None of anything Sasuke view in the memories seemed to be of use to find the talisman, so after they finished to secure the last watchmen with chakra enhanced rope, and freed the kids with a short explanation on how to leave the place discretely, Sasuke and Naruto's clone continued their investigation.

"If you were to hide something, where would it be?" Sasuke questioned.

"Further down, deep down if possible," Naruto's copy immediately answered.

"So, we have to go back up... It should be in the most obvious place to not have been found until now," Sasuke replied with a smug smile.

"Are you making fun of me?" the blond growled.

"Three centuries with the talisman at the same place, don't you think that people would have found it? Except, if... if nobody has guessed what it was," the last Uchiha answered, as he made a conjecture of all they gathered.

"You piss me off," Naruto's clone irritably muttered. "You're really a smart ass. I'm glad you're not after the Hokage title anymore."

"Don't worry for your title, a brain is not enough to be Hokage, you have something that nobody else has," Sasuke reassured him cryptically, immediately earning a curious look from the blond. The sharigan user deactivated his eye before leading the way, from the memories he had collected. He had the beginning of an idea of in where they could secure the talisman.

The kids were already climbing up the stairs, the older children holding hands with the youngest as they escaped the way their saviors have told them. All their short legs trembled as they put their hands over their mouths to muffle their whines and tears. If they wanted to be free, they needed to be silent, the blond-haired man had said, and even as fear tormented them, they wanted to believe in this last string of hope.

Sasuke briefly looked at them as he passed the door leading to the long stairway with Naruto's clone. "Do you know where Naruto is?"

The blond closed his eyes in concentration. "Boss is with the second group... So, I guess he is taking care of them," the clone informed.

"Let's put these brats out of the way before our search," Sasuke suggested.

A big knowing smile split the blond's face, making Sasuke nearly regret his suggestion. The Uchiha frowned, jumping to the kids' level and grabbed two under each arm before ordering of two others to clung onto his neck, on his back and front. The clone copied him, not stopping a single second to smile and snicker, driving Sasuke to the end of his patience. _No, he didn't like children! No, he didn't have a soft spot! And, yes, he wanted to throw out those snotty-nosed brats as fast as possible, before one of them could cover him with the dirty substance running out of their noses._

Sasuke glared at his partner again, hoping that he would understand which risk he'd occur by laughing like that. If it wasn't for the sensing ability of the clone, he would have blown the blond's head in two to just get rid of his infuriating smile. Rather than killing his only connection with the rest of his team, the dark-haired shinobi accelerated his pace, turning right, left, taking two stairways in one jump. He darkly looked to the brat strangling him with his little arms. He hated kids with their unending whining, but this one, with this gooey liquid dangerously lolling from his nose, certainly was the worst of them.

The child on his side hiccupped, frightened with the speed and the impressive jump. "Stay quiet!" Sasuke ordered sternly, making the kid freeze at his authoritarian tone.

"Hey, be more kind to them! They are already terrorized!" the clone berated him.

"Shut up and live or talk and disappear!" the Uchiha seriously announced.

"I know you're a softy... you're just too shy to show it! I saw you feeding the stray kitty the other day," the clone commented matter-of-factly.

Sasuke's brow twitched dangerously, grinding his teeth in the process, then finally sighed in despair. Naruto and all his clones were idiots. Nothing good would happen by arguing with an idiot, so he decided that it was better to ignore his partner. The course their conversation was taking would end up like any other conversation of this type they'd had, with one outcome: A fight!

Fortunately, he didn't have to bear with it for much longer as they arrived at the exit, used by the bandits. A last jump and they were safely on the ground. Sasuke hastily got rid of the kids, dropping them near the forest's edge. Naruto's clone gently patted the kids' heads, telling them to run as far as they could. In the light clatter of the rain, a sound attracted their attention, and Sasuke took a defensive position while his partner didn't seem at all alert. The dark-haired man nearly berated Naruto for his carefree nature, until he saw the blond waved to another clone passing through a window.

The two ninjas came to help the clones to transport the kids out. Those kids were in a far worst state than the ones kept in the lower cells, but the kids seemed to regain some spark of life as they saw the light for the first time in who knows how long. Their shaky legs carried them slowly, hesitate as they took each step forward. The rain washing the dirt off their faces was a source of incredible amazement to them. They were still alive, alive and free. Sasuke informed the two Naruto copies that another group of kids had left just few minutes ago, and the two clones separated to protect them through their journey to the nearest village.

Sasuke and his partner returned in the fort, beginning their search on the highest point in front of the sea. For the last Uchiha, it was the most logical place to search. The clan survivors were waiting for a boat, so their eyes should have been focus on the sea, not in an underground cave. They didn't plan to stay in this fort or to hide anything in there. A fight for power must have happened while waiting for the boat, as the men grew restless.

The sky charged with grey clouds poured heavy drops of water, soaking the two ninjas standing on the top part of the fortress wall, looking around for any clues. Sasuke activated his sharigan to register each and every bit of information he could find. He tried to imagine the last moments of those thirty men. Swirling red eyes studied the left side of the wall. Dark bangs of hair followed his head movements as his gaze then turned to the right. Naruto's clone looked around, not really attentive, more curious on what was going on in his best friend's head. What could the Sharigan user see that he couldn't with normal eyes? Blue orbs searched the stones where his best friend stare was fixated. He could hear waves crashing behind them, against the stone wall, adding to the desolate impression of the place. This old fort really was the perfect site for ghost stories, no wonder the bandits could terrorize the kids with such scary tales.

"It could be here!" Sasuke pointed to a crack on the wall tower. "The last carrier of the talisman must have seen his companions fighting and tried to climb up to the highest place to escape them, or maybe use this talisman against them. But, as the others followed him, he hid it in this crack before being pulled down and slaughtered like the others," the sharigan user explained his theory to his partner before moving forward to check the place.

The clone didn't follow him and Sasuke turned around to call him. The expression on the blond's face told him that something was wrong. The blue orbs looked straight into his red eyes, his face contrite and his fists clenched.

"The dark matter is back... it's near the boss," the blond announced gravely.

"Lead the way!" Sasuke requested imperatively.

Without losing a second, the two of them dove at full speed in the depths of the fort. The building shook from an impressive explosion, dust crumbling from the old stones, rocks falling from the ceiling. The ominous feeling from before returned at full force, and Sasuke increased his pace to reach Naruto faster. They passed two set of stairs, turned a corridor, the other cell emptied from its prisoners. Sasuke remembered all this as if they were his own memories. They were in the direction of the well chamber. Two more corridors and they would catch up with the real Naruto. Another blasting explosion made the corridor collapsed on itself, but it was not enough to slow the Uchiha's progress. Katana chakra enhanced, he cut through the heavy stone as if they were nothing more than butter, reaching the final door with one last leap.

XXXXX

Naruto, with giant claw like hands, wiped the mercenaries who were running toward him with all their weapons out. The group of men flew in the air, projected against the wall as if they were nothing more than small flies. The crack of bones breaking on the impact, rendering the men unconscious once they fell on the floor. Their leader spitted up blood and threw a deadly glare at the young man continuing to advance so confidently toward the ritual site. He couldn't let him stop the ceremony.

He'd have to bet everything on this. The priest had promised him that, with the power they would summon, nothing was impossible. The priest had told him that they could conquer the whole Fire country, that they would be covered in gold and they would be able to live in the open, doing whatever pleased them. The short man harangued his men to not let this intruder take another step further.

Naruto nonchalantly glanced above his shoulder, a small smirk on his lips. He almost felt sorry for those men as he saw his adorable girlfriend ready for an attack. Yet, he didn't get the chance to appreciate the spectacle of her fury as his attention was sucked away by a real danger emerging in a cloud of dark smoke, materializing out from thin air, just for his eyes to see. All the faceless priests had their hands extended in the center, with a crystal as if to concentrate their chakra in a single point to summon the dark phenomena.

This was an old method connected to occultism to summon demon, not taught nowadays in any ninja village. It needed a great amount of chakra, that only few ninjas were able to gather, and also needed a sacrifice to stabilize their summoning. Naruto vaguely knew about it, as Tsunade insisted to teach him old civilization in his Hokage training program. He still didn't understand everything about how it worked, but, from what he saw, he could guess that those men hadn't the chakra control necessary to gather their energy on one point without those crystals.

Before the miasma became bigger, Naruto pierced through it with a Rasenshuriken, forcing the priests away by the intensity of the explosion. He didn't miss, and the circle broke, stopping any further growth of the dark matter. But, the thing reformed itself, as its molecules just spread apart and condensed again, not trying to escape him like in the forest. That thing was turning around, like it had proper consciousness. It was changing form, unsettle, searching for something. The blond didn't hesitate, he had to destroy it and its source of power. He launched forward in his tail-beast mode, a Rasengan in his hand. He crashed it on the closest priest near him, making their crystal blowup into a million pieces from being under the high-pressure of chakra crashed over them.

The main priest was in frantic fright, they didn't plan for any risks of being interrupted by this kind of threat. They had hired the most dangerous men in the Fire country to bring them victims for sacrifices, and to protect their hide-out. His anxious eyes landed on the mercenaries to call for help and became even more terrified as he watched the shining, golden man who wiped ten of his companions in one blow. They were without defense in this affair, a single girl had put a whole group of men out of order, rendering them completely in a state of unconsciousness.

The chief priest panicked, he didn't know if the summoning had worked, he couldn't see it, he hoped, beyond hope, that they had gathered enough chakra to make it appear. He just needed to try to perform the last part of the ceremony to take control of its power, their sacrifice was still in the room, petrified from fear, in plain view. The kid must have tried to escape and fell, his legs still numb. The man pulled out of the collar of his black robe, the talisman that granted him immense power, and invoked the dark spirit to take form in this world.

A swirl of air brushed past his cheek, the man laughed maniacally. The spirit was here.

Naruto saw the talisman glowing red around the priest's neck and jumped forward, grabbing at the priest's throat to seize the object of their research mission, pulling hard enough on it to break the chain. The man grabbed Naruto's wrist, trying to keep it from him. His glare reflected a gleam of madness as he locked eyes with the blond.

"It's all lost! You're lost! The power is mine! The beast will devour the innocent! Hahaha!" The priest chanted, like it was as if he was possessed by the devil.

Alarmed by a sickening feeling curdling in his gut, Naruto turned his head to witness the dark matter condense itself and rush toward the boy at the other side of the room. In a swift motion, Naruto pushed the priest away and prepared a Rasenshuriken to attack the demon. Seeing her teammate's movements, Sakura understood that the boy was in danger and jumped toward him to get him out of the way.

The violent blast of the Rasenshuriken just slightly hindered the course of the dark matter. However, it recomposed itself into a cloud, reforming nearly instantaneously. There was no more time left, the thing was dangerously hovering above Sakura and the boy. Naruto used his father's jutsu to teleport. In a flash, he reappeared near her, one hand on the handle of the kunai on her leg.

He had offered her for her twentieth birthday a set of kunai, forgetting to mention to her that they were all marked with his teleportation seal, in case one day he needed to protect her. She would have refused the gift if she had known, and she would certainly have called him a pervert, accusing him of having marked them so he could sneak into the girl's changing room or something. He had to admit that he did thought of going in her room at night to look at her while she was sleeping. However, he never did so, the prospect of being killed in atrocious suffering kept him at bay of doing such deeds. Anyway, he was glad that she carried his gifts around on her as if they were lucky charms. Today, they've proven to be useful.

Sakura's eyes widened in surprise as Naruto stood in front of her, a tail-beast bomb in his hand to attack. He launched the blast, but to no avail as the dark matter purposely scattered itself to avoid the damage. She didn't have the time to process how he got here or why as her heart skipped a beat. All her reactions became numb, petrified, seeing the sight of his body deformed, getting engulfed by the invisible matter.

"Naaaaaaaaaarrruuuuuuuuutttttttttooooooooooo!" she screamed recovering from the shock and gathering chakra in her fists to destroy whatever was hurting her lover.

Her fist connected with thin air, as another raging scream resonated under the vault of the room. Sasuke's blade sliced precisely a millimeter away from the blond's face, Mangekyo Sharigan activated with the demonic Sasunoo full armor on. She had just enough time to catch the inert blond in her arms as he was freed from his invisible prison, and briefly glanced at her teammate. The pure look of anger, despair, and pain illuminating the Mangekyo orb scared her slightly.

"Bring Naruto in Sasunoo and save him!"

The order was harsh and devoid of all sympathy, but she didn't pay much attention to such formality in this situation. Her brain immediately processed what was important right now: Healing Naruto.

Furor oozed out from every part of the dark-haired shinobi. Even Sasunoo seemed more impressive and threatening. Protecting his two friends in the safety of the gigantic armor, Sasuke could unleash his ire toward those that hurt Naruto. His red eye scanned around. A bunch of unconscious men discarded around the place left in strange body positions—like ragged dolls—impact craters done by his teammates, and those filthy bastards trying to run away. The last Uchiha's teeth ground in choler. Those scared filthy rats hurt his important friend didn't deserve to live.

The room dangerously charged with the excessive chakra born from his dark emotions, the atmosphere cracked with the rage of a thunderstorm erupting around the giant structure that was Sasunoo. The generally emotionless face deformed into a twisted expression of fury, his glare more savage than for any other enemies.

They've hurt Naruto. They would not escape his wrath.

His katana chopped, pierced, and ripped apart the different bodies with a melody of screams of terror and pain. With velocity and precision that very few shinobi could achieve in the world, Sasuke took each and every member of the assembly present down one-by-one. The brutality he demonstrated was far above what he used to do since he pledged loyalty to Naruto.

The giant Sasunoo stood in a pool of blood, the red liquid still pouring out from the open gashes on what was left of those priests. Some faint wailing of misery came out of the mouths of those that hadn't got the numbness clemency from unconsciousness. Sasuke approached one with a mark on his forehead and forcefully grabbed the man's jaw. He was more dead than alive. However, he could still be useful. With his sharigan activated, he read his memories, witnessing them as if he had been here, the whole scene before his best friend got hurt.

He walked then to another man, the one seen as their leader, and went through his memories, too: desire for power, wealth, domination. Petty greed and dark ambitions, there was nothing that appealed to his leniency. He extracted all useful information from the man's skull, from his knowledge about the talisman, to all his monstrous activities. His fingers tightened around the culprit responsible for all this suffering, and pressed with a certain amount of pleasure around the man's throat, breaking cartilage in his death grip. He observed with a form of sadistic satisfaction, still full of his vengeful spirit, the culprit's pupils widened, spreading dark like night with him as his last nightmare.

The body fell limply at his feet and as no other enemy stood in front of him to exert his revenge, Sasuke slowly calmed down, and turned his attention toward Sakura. She was still bend over the inert body of the blond, pouring all she could into him. Sasuke could see the large drops of water falling from her eyes and landing on Naruto's chest as she desperately continued to heal him.

"How is he?" Sasuke asked concern in his voice, fearing the worst as he contemplated the livid face of his last bond with life.

She restrained the sob threatening to pass the barrier of her mouth, nearly suffocating with the lump crushing her throat. She couldn't break now. She couldn't lose hope. Naruto was strong. Naruto would survive. He would not abandon her. Not now. Nor never. She intensified the flow of chakra, fighting this invisible force with all her might to keep him alive.

"He-He has to pull through it! I won't let him go!" she affirmed with determination.

 _You're not going anywhere without me! Idiot! Why did you have to jump in front of me to take everything in my stead?_

Sasuke briefly glanced at the boy standing up at the other side of the room looking straight at them. The boy that Naruto saved. There was something about this boy's stare that disturbed the Uchiha, as if something evil emanated from him. The raven-haired ninja broke eye contact, to look at the motionless form of his best friend. Naruto risked his life for this boy. He shouldn't let his thirst for revenge cloud his mind.

"Go home!" Sasuke sternly instructed him before taking off, piercing the ceiling with his Sasunoo, to bring his two friends back to Konoha as fast as possible.

 **Review is what keep me working... If you're here, I will push myself to not abandon. If it's not worth it in your opinion, it will save me from wasting my time for nothing. Thanks for your support!**


	8. Chapter 8

_**CHAPTER CORRECTED THANKS TO DESCRIPTIONALIVE**_

YeagerMeister31: Naruto always get hurt, because he's the one jumping in front of all danger. Thank you

eight heroes: I might be able to update a little faster, but I need to have the chapter corrected before I do and I think the readers are more spread in time on this story, so I wait for everyone before updating. Thank you for your support!

TyBlossom: Thank you for your support!

katus293: Sorry for the wait! I hope you will still like the chapter. Thank you to be here!

orangana: I generally write something for a purpose, most of the time at least ;) Thank you

Aqua Rules: Sasuke is definitely a badass. I hope you will like the new chapter. Thank you to be here!

Elarmi: Thank you for your support.

DiizGiirlJess: You find Sasuke weird? His best friend/brother just got nearly killed and you think he would not exert revenge? I think Naruto is the only person who can have an impact on Sasuke since their final battle in the valley of the end. Naruto is at the same level of Itachi in his heart. Thank you for your review.

joey91731: Thank you! I happy that you liked it! I hope you will continue to enjoy the story.

Troa95: Thank you so much to be my strong support. I would certainly not have the courage to continue without you.

Akamatt: Thank you for your support.

TheAztecKing:Thank you! I'm glad you liked it. I hope you enjoy the next chapter too.

xblackxhunterx: If you knew how hard it was to write an action scene. Naruto loose the fight, but he protected his girl, so he can still be proud of him. One of your supposition is right, i will let you discover which one. Thank you very much to be here!

Guest: Thank you for your support! I will try to keep it up

rainingplatinum445: Thank you for your support. I generally update every 3 weeks approx.

CalicoRunrun: I really really really love your idea! It sound so interesting. I don't know if I would have been able to portrait such a Naruto, and unfortunately I have wrote way too much chapter (they are in the correcting phase) to erase everything and redo the work. It make me kind of frustrated as I am afraid I won't match your expectation. I hope you will still enjoy my writing and what I have in store for it. Thank you to have share with me your thoughts... It's really great, thanks!

Guest: Thank you... the approx delay between chapters is 3 weeks. I might be able to go faster if I overcome my actual blank page syndrom (I keep the slow pace to give me time)

Touken: And here I was waiting for you to show up. Thank you to be here, support is needed.

Somin: Naruto and Sakura are so great together. I agree! Thank you to be here

Guest: Thank you for your support! I will try to keep going at least give an end to this story.

 _ **Chap 8: A long Nightmare**_

Sasuke glanced over his shoulder to watch as Sakura treated his best friend. The woman hadn't stopped pouring her chakra into the blond for even a second since she'd started to hours ago. Her face was showing signs of exhaustion, and Sasuke was impressed by the chakra reserve she had. She'd already released her "one hundred seal" to access the entirety of her power, but she was using it with such intensity that he doubted she would be able to hold on for much longer. He guessed that she was surviving on sheer determination alone at this point, giving everything she had at the risk of her own life.

Sasuke looked ahead; they needed to arrive faster. Back in Konoha, a whole team of medical ninja could take care of Naruto. They still had so far to go, but he had to make it before Sakura collapsed. The Uchiha concentrated his energy into his Rinnengan, making his eye bleed in the process.

"Amenotejikara," Sasuke uttered, hoping the ninjutsu would bring them closer to Konoha quickly enough to be rescued.

Using the mass of chakra accumulated in his eye, they leapt through space, landing not far from the southern gates of Konoha. Sasuke gasped as if he'd been punched in the gut. He'd pushed himself to his limit using that jutsu to the extent he had, and his chakra flow momentarily being disturbed made the giant structure of his Susanoo falter. Sakura collapsed onto the ground, the body mark of her seal disappearing as she finally started to run out of energy. With effort, she crawled over to Naruto's still form and continued to drain whatever she had left into him. Sasuke knelt down beside them and lifted his best friend into his arms. He offered his shoulder to Sakura and she slung one arm around his neck, resting her other hand on Naruto to continue to treat him.

Sasuke carried his teammates until they reached the hospital doors, then Sakura dropped, her body slouching on the road as soon as a medical team came into view, as if she had only been able to hold on until this very moment so she could be sure that Naruto would be taken care of. The doctors relieved Sasuke of his charge and a medic helped Sakura into the building. Like a body searching for its soul, Sasuke's legs moved on their own, following Naruto's stretcher until they came to the emergency room. His eyes stayed glued to the window, observing as the doctors danced around his best friend in a frantic attempt to save his life. He didn't know how much time had passed, he couldn't even tell if he had been breathing. Sasuke felt empty, powerless. Now that the imperativeness of bringing Naruto back to Konoha had abated, he was ready to crumble at any second, but his heart refused to beat in his chest as long as he was unsure whether or not his best friend was going to be okay.

Tsunade barged in, the corridor of the hospital flaring up like a bee hive from all the buzzing her arrival caused. She gave thousand orders at once, collecting all the information about Naruto's case she could before entering the waiting area to his operating room . A stack of paper clenched in her hand, she stopped in front of Sasuke. He didn't even acknowledge her until she addressed him directly.

"You were with him..." she stated accusingly, anger laced in her tone. _How could he let his teammates get injured this badly?_ Both Naruto and Sakura were in intensive care, while the cursed dark crow was perfectly unharmed.

Though she didn't like the Uchiha much and absolutely couldn't understand Naruto's devotion to him, she stopped her vindictive verbal attack when the man turned his face toward her. She had never seen a stare more hollow than his was right now. The look on his face told her more than the words that never left his mouth ever could've. The dark-haired ninja was devastated.

"How did this happened?" she asked, more collectedly.

Sasuke's gaze returned to the window, his eyes transfixed by the movement of Naruto's chest. As if he could see an invisible bond between them connecting their lives–like if the blond's chest were to cease to rise and fall, his would too. For a second, Tsunade thought that he wasn't going to answer her, and she was ready to drop it to go do what she came here to, even without having all the details she wanted. But unexpectedly, Sasuke's low voice broke the uncomfortable silence between them.

"I don't know everything... Only Naruto could've seen the thing that attacked him. He told me and Sakura that it was a dark matter, able to transform from a cloudy form into a solid one. We were only able to see Naruto's body go distorted, as if we were looking at him through glass. Sakura started treating him as soon as it happened, but he hasn't been conscious since." Sasuke ran his fingers through his hair, pulling the locks between his fingers. "What else? What do you need to have to save him?" Sasuke questioned, dejected and ready to do anything she needed–to give her his power, his blood, a limb–anything.

The busty woman gave him one last sorrowful glance before pushing through the door.

"I will do everything I can to save him."

XXXXX

Shikamaru was the first of Naruto's friends to come when he'd heard. The Nara heir jogged to the treatment room, his mind in a mess to have heard about both Naruto and Sakura's admissions to the hospital. He opened his mouth to question the Uchiha when he saw him there too, but decided against it, seeing the other's tensed stance and agony-filled eyes. Fortunately for Shikamaru, a nurse came out of the room at the same moment and he began hounding her with questions about Naruto's health. Being the Hokage's assistant gave him some privileges, and the nurse hastened to give him all the information she could. Sasuke listened attentively to her report, his gaze still stuck to his best friend. At each new answer she gave, the Uchiha's anger rose. He tightened his fists at his sides, willing himself to not grab the girl and start shaking her to get her to tell them something that they didn't already know. Were they all incompetent? What good was calling in Tsunade the "miraculous medic" if she couldn't even heal Naruto?

When the nurse finally excused herself to call for a shift change, silence fell back over the waiting area. The tension was palpable, and Shikamaru rubbed the back of his neck, uncomfortable. This was one of those moments where he really would've appreciated a cigarette. He cleared his throat and finally addressed the Uchiha.

"I need a report on this mission," he explained in a businesslike tone, keeping his personal feelings toward the Sharingan user at bay.

Sasuke's jaw tensed for a brief instant. _Does he really think this is the moment to ask for a report?_ His nails dug the skin of his palms as he tightened his fists. Repressing his anger, he turned and faced the Nara. _Ninja have to endure and he had a mission to finish, a mission that Naruto risked his life for._

"The talisman," he said, pulling said object out of his pocket, "If activated with the right amount of chakra, it can invoke a mass of energy made of accumulated dark emotions." Sasuke placed the charm in Shikamaru's hand, "Naruto managed to take hold of it and stop the ceremony. I found it in his hand when we arrived in Konoha." Shikamaru closed his fingers around it, understanding Naruto's sacrifice. Sasuke continued, "The dark matter tried to attack a kid, the supposed sacrifice for the ritual. Sakura jumped in to protect the brat and I'll let you guess what Naruto did," he told the advisor with some venom in his voice, clearly pointing the blame at Sakura. "By the time I got there, Naruto was being engulfed in something invisible and I guess I cut through it. It didn't put up much of a fight, and it didn't attack us anymore after that." Sasuke's eyes returned to watch over Naruto's treatment. "There are a few of their men tied in the lower level of the fort–garbage that you could let die, if you want my opinion. The others probably didn't survive."

Shikamaru listened carefully to the short explanation. He had a thousand other questions he wanted to ask, but he would later, now wasn't the time. He knew that something fishy must have been surrounding the mission, otherwise Kakashi wouldn't have chosen to send such an elite team, not for a simple treasure quest. They were prepared to fight, and Shikamaru was more than confident in this team's fighting abilities to take on any enemy; but this was no ninjutsu or taijutsu, this was something completely unknown that was able to take down the strongest ninja in all of Konoha. This was something even Tsunade was finding difficult to deal with. _How could things have gone so wrong?_

Time passed and more and more people began arriving, all receiving Sasuke's cold shoulder when they tried to talk to him. Shikamaru informed them one by one of Naruto's condition, the whole rookie eleven–except for those on missions. Soon enough, all the seats in the room were occupied; some of the nins stayed standing, backs against the wall, faces lowered. The atmosphere was tense and morose like a funeral's. No cheerful conversation sparked among the usually joyous friends. Not a word. Their hands and fingers intertwined in mute prayers, hearts constricted in angst; they sometimes lifted hopeful eyes when someone emerged from the room, to only fall back into their grim state when the doctors didn't bring any good news.

Sasuke stood in front of the glass door, his body numb, his mind tormented. He hadn't moved from his spot since he'd arrived, and his eyes still stayed obsessively fixated on Naruto. He couldn't tell how much time had passed, maybe it had only been minutes. To him, it felt like waiting an eternity in the antechamber of hell. Being here, powerless, just waiting for something to happen… it was torture. He'd lost too many dear people in his life–his whole family, his brother. But he'd coped with it, driven by revenge, by a goal bigger than himself. Naruto was his last hope. Losing him would be too much. There would be nothing left, not even an enemy to fight with. The dark-haired ninja felt as though he were precariously standing on the edge of a chasm, and he wasn't sure that he wanted to resist the temptation of stepping off.

Kakashi's voice pulled him out of his dark contemplations as if his hand had grabbed his shoulder, dragging him away from his attractive abyss. Sasuke blinked, his consciousness coming back to reality. How long had he been buried in his depressive thoughts? How was Naruto? Immediately, the Sharingan user took control of the blond's EKG machine, finding reassurance in the steady beeping of the monitor. Only after did he send a brief glance to his former teacher in response to his inquiry.

With a fake calm demeanor, the Sixth Hokage positioned himself at the righthand side of his former student and reiterated his question, "How is Naruto?" He had already received a report from Shikamaru upon his arrival, but in reality, this question was not solely focused towards Naruto's well being, it was an indirect way for him to gauge Sasuke as well.

"Still alive," Sasuke answered blankly. He wasn't in the mood to talk; really, he never had been one for talking. It was always Naruto who chatted enough for the both of them.

Kakashi nodded understandingly. It was probably the most optimistic way Sasuke could describe Naruto's condition in the rough state he was in himself. Watching the Uchiha's stoic face focusing only on what was happening on the other side of the door left no questions about the gravity of the man's state. There was nothing he could say that would help right now.

The silver haired man peeked through the window for himself; he knew he wouldn't get any more information, and that he would certainly just arrive at the same conclusion that Sasuke had, but he felt as though he needed to see the man's condition with his own eyes. He squinted a bit, searching for any signs of improvement from the report he'd gotten earlier. But as suspected, he came to the same verdict. Sasuke was right. Alive. Naruto was just still alive. That was all that mattered. They had to hang on to the hope of a miraculous come back. They had to believe that Naruto would pull through it. There was no other way around it.

A long sigh, heavy and tired, escaped his lips. His hand, more timidly than what the rest of his demeanor was showing, patted Sasuke's shoulder in an attempt to comfort him.

"We have to keep our faith in him. There is no ninja more resilient than Naruto," Kakashi said, trying to lift the dark-haired man's spirit and possibly his own as well.

But Sasuke didn't react to the sentiment; he brushed it off with his usual seemingly impassible attitude. He didn't need to be reassured or pitied. He lapsed into mutism, wishing that everybody would just leave him in peace. They could all go to hell for all he cared. Naruto was his friend, his savior, the last of is family… they couldn't understand.

Kakashi frowned. The darkness surrounding Sasuke was thick; he feared the worst would happen if Naruto didn't survive. Pushing the image of the dreadful fate back into the corner of his mind, he prayed for Naruto to manage another miracle, for all of them. The Hokage turned to his assistant, and Shikamaru straightened himself, at attention and ready to leave with his boss when the other was ready, as his duty required him.

"You stay here and be my eyes. Report everything that happens to me directly if things change," Kakashi requested, knowing all too well that it would be cruel to keep Naruto's friend away from the hospital when he needed him most. "And when Naruto wakes up, I want to be informed immediately," he threw out casually as if it were certain, purposely adding a touch of hope by subtly reminding them that Naruto was the child of miracle.

Shikamaru nodded gratefully, not so easily fooled by Kakashi's ploy to act nonchalant. The strategist briefly glanced to his other friends; some nodded too, understanding the message of hope. Some simply drew the ghost of a smile, as faint as it was. Only Sasuke stayed in his impenetrable tower.

XXXXX

Hours passed, and medics continued to relay themselves at Naruto side. Tsunade relentlessly dished out orders, not stopping the flow of her healing energy for even a second, coupling it with seals to extract the invasive matter that had possessed Naruto's body. The whole night, the ticking seconds of the clock on the wall echoed next to the rhythm of the beeping heart monitor, and it was only at dawn that Tsunade finally emerged from the treatment room.

Like receiving a shot of adrenaline, Sasuke jolted awake, all senses in high alert when he saw movement. The group of friends stood up seeing the former Hokage as well. Her face was strained from exhaustion, but she pushed her own needs aside to reassure the people dear to Naruto.

"He's stabilized, but the following hours will be critical. We will monitor him constantly. He can't have any visitors for now. Please, everyone go back home and get some rest," she informed them.

Some shoulders slumped, but all the ninjas nodded at the order. They couldn't do anything for now anyway. They'd just have to believe in Naruto's ability to recover on his own for the time being. Tsunade accompanied the gurney with Naruto's still unconscious body on the way to his room in the intensive care unit. Not to her surprise, she noticed the dark presence following closely behind them. The tall Uchiha came to stand at the side of Naruto's bed, like a shadow following the sun. There was no point in scolding or trying to forbid him of anything, Sasuke would stay regardless of what she said.

"You should rest too. We've had enough sick people for one day," the former Hokage told him, pointing to the chair nearby as they entered the room before leaving to give instructions to the medical team for the special treatment and care needed for the blond.

The day passed with a succession of medics coming in and out of the room, changing Naruto's IV, scribbling notes on charts, injecting substances into his veins; all the while, Sasuke was immobile, his elbows on his knees, hands folded under his chin, and his eyes incessantly following the slow and steady movements of the blond's chest. Unidentified figures in their immaculate fluttering white coats fugaciously materialized in Sasuke's peripheral vision, disappearing just as quickly as they came every time. External noises were dull in his ears, his consciousness at the edge of a parallel world. He was drowning, deeper and deeper.

Hesitantly, a young nurse approached the dark-haired shinobi; it was already night time and the man hadn't eaten anything all day. The somber atmosphere surrounding him wasn't very inviting, but the end of her shift was drawing near and she'd decided to build up the courage to offer him some food.

"Um, Sir..." she gulped uncomfortably, not seeing any acknowledgment that he'd heard her from him. "Sir," she tried again, continuing, "would you like something to eat?" she asked, presenting a meal tray to him.

The glare he gave her was sufficient enough to scare her to the point where she shrieked and dropped the tray in her hands. Tsunade, observing the scene from the doorway, lectured the nurse for her clumsiness and ordered her to clean the mess she'd created. The nurse, abashed, bowed profusely in both directions, excusing herself from the famous medic and the handsome young man. As soon as she'd left the room, the former Hokage walked in to read Naruto's medical charts. She had been checking in every hour and every time she did, she found the Uchiha boy in the exact same position.

"You shouldn't scare my employees," Tsunade commented, passing her glowing hands over Naruto for another treatment.

"I didn't do anything," Sasuke blankly defended himself.

"You could have simply accepted the food," she retorted, keeping her eyes on the face of the boy below her. Naruto looked so peaceful, as if he were only asleep. But she knew better than anyone else that her boy's state was far from tranquil. There was no real guarantee that he would even ever wake up from the coma he was currently in. Her honey-colored eyes lifted up to the dark-haired shinobi, "If you refuse to eat, I will forbid you to stay," she stated authoritatively.

Sasuke straightened up in his chair and locked eyes with her, "Are you threatening me?" he questioned harshly.

One hand on her hip, she withstood his glare. She wasn't one of those birdbrained women with no backbone who cowered in front of him; she was the previous Hokage, and she had seen enough in her lifetime to not be impressed by any man's mettle. "Friendly. Advice," she punctuated sarcastically. "It's your choice... I don't care if you die. But you _won't_ do it in front of your friend," she countered, standing her ground.

Sasuke frowned, he didn't like being coerced into doing anything. However, Naruto was more important than such a petty matter. "Fine! I'll eat!" he reluctantly accepted.

The ghost of a victorious smile pushed up the corners of Tsunade's lips–the finishing touch in pissing off the last Uchiha. "I will tell one of the nurses to bring you something then. And you'd better eat it all!" she said to him over her shoulder as she reached the door.

Sasuke snarled before his eyes returned to Naruto. "Tomodachi, huh?" he mumbled to himself, despondent.

"Friend" was not a strong enough word to express his bond with Naruto. He was even more than family itself, as they had chosen each other. Their bond was based on trust, understanding, and a complete acceptance of one another. He couldn't recall a purpose in life other than supporting Naruto's dream since their battle at the Valley of the End, like Itachi had done for him from the shadows. Those four years away had just been an attempt to see the world the way Naruto saw it, an atonement journey to be worthy to walk by his side again, as a teammate, as a friend, as a brother.

XXXXX

A leaf slowly fell, landing and getting itself stuck in Naruto's unruly hair. She extended her hand to pull away the mischievous leaf with a laugh. He turned his head toward her, his blue eyes almost completely closed in two thin slits as a huge grin occupied most of his face.

"Sakura-chan!"

She heard his cheerful voice call out to her and her heart jumped in her chest. The pink-haired girl loved how he always looked so happy. She lowered her hand to caress his whiskered cheek, but the image began to fade, her fingers grasping thin air. She abruptly turned around, searching for him. _Is this one of his pranks?_ She smiled, reassured seeing his amused face, his hands behind his head just a few feet away.

"Sakura-chan!"

She walked towards him, but again, the vision dissolved before she could touch his form. Her heart began to thump more and more loudly in her chest, anxious. Uneasiness settled into the back of her mind. Naruto appeared again, closer to her, his face a few inches away this time and his mesmerizing blue eyes piercing into the depths of her soul.

"Sakura-chan! I love you!"

"Naruto!" she called to him, extending her hand as she ran, crying, falling as he moved further away from her, always unreachable.

Sakura brusquely woke up on the third night after her admission, disoriented, hyperventilating, and with sweat rolling down her temples. The images of the incident in the fort burned in the back of her brain. Her gaze searched frantically for Naruto, her mind in complete chaos. Not seeing any trace of the blond, she pushed herself out of bed, lamely falling to the floor as her legs were out of use, shaky to stand on.

Diagnosed with a severe chakra depletion upon her arrival, she had been placed in the ICU after an immediate treatment to restore her vital signs. With her body still too weak to stand on its own, she latched her hand onto the IV stand to lift herself up, pulling away from different electrodes connected to her chest to be able to move around freely as she did. With unsteady steps, she walked out of the room and down the hall.

Straight off, a nurse noticed the woman and came to help her back to her room, but the pink-haired nin refused bluntly. "Naruto... Where is Naruto?" she asked, distressed, trying to get around the barricade the nurse was making with her extended arms.

"Calm down, Sakura-sama! You have to rest first; you are in no condition to be walking around!" the nurse fussed.

"I have to see Naruto!" Sakura insisted. "I have too..."

"He can't have any visitors right now. Tsunade-sama gave a strict order about that."

"Tell me where he is. How..." the rest of the sentence got stuck in her throat and she felt tears beginning to swell in her eyes. "I–I need to see him," Sakura finished, her voice breaking in her plea.

The nurse didn't have the heart to deny her. She knew of the deep friendship the head medic had with their savior. It was understandable that Sakura would feel so concerned about the health of the man after he'd been hurt in a mission; and besides, how could she refuse her boss of anything? The young woman gave in, passing an arm around Sakura's back and helping her make her way down to Naruto's room.

The shuffling sound of slippers resonated in the empty corridors. The nurses were bustling around, moving from room to room to do their regular checks for the night. Sakura nodded to one of them, who seemed to be confused to see her passing by as she continued to walk on her shaky legs, one arm around the nurse's neck to help her hold her own weight.

"We're nearly there; it's the next room on the right," the young nurse informed Sakura.

The pink-haired woman didn't pay mind to the words of encouragement. Naruto's room could have been in Suna and she still would've gone by any means possible. The nurse opened the door for her, and then Sakura saw him, lying still on the hospital bed. She completely forgot about her own condition, abandoning the support of the nurse's shoulder and the IV pole to blindly walk to his side with both hands extended to reach out to him.

The nurse caught her just as her knees buckled underneath her, "Be careful, Sakura-sama!"

The pinkette steadied herself and moved forward with the help, her jade eyes brimming with tears as she approached the inert body. She stood for a moment without daring to move a muscle, just observing him and his gentle face. Her worst nightmare was unfolding right in front of her eyes and her heart clenched in her chest to the point where it physically hurt. She had seen him injured before, covered in bandages–he had been in the hospital too many times for her to even count. But never once had he been completely inanimate. Never once had she seen him connected to so many machines only there to keep his body working, to keep him alive. Her eyes widened in horror at the tube sunk into his throat forcing air into his lungs, at the multiple IVs attached to his left hand, at all the electrodes on his arms and chest. She hastily grabbed the medical charts to read more about his condition and trembled slightly after she had.

"Unremitting coma..." she mumbled, repeating the words written in black letters at the bottom of the report. She hiccuped, knowing perfectly well what that could implicate. He could end up brain dead, she was going to lose him.

Fear, pain, despair, and any other negative emotion her body could feel dragged her into their sickening sensations. She was losing ground as if the floor itself had opened up beneath her feet. She was suffocating, her heart achingly twisting, squeezing the blood out of its cavities and leaving the organ empty and devoid of life. She wobbled, her head spinning as she choked on air, her hands losing their grip on the medical charts, her legs shaking uncontrollably.

The clattering metal sound of the medical board reverberated in the near-silence of the hospital room and the nurse assured her grip on the head medic's waist. She had worked under the strong woman's guidance for two years now and never had she seen her boss so shaken; her face as white as a sheet, her body looking as though it was ready to fall apart like a sand castle. The young woman pulled up a seat near the bed and helped the pinkette sit down before rushing away to find Tsunade. Sakura felt like an empty shell, letting herself be maneuvered around, her eyes only focused on Naruto's resting face. Slowly, sound began to return to her ears, the regular beeping of the bedside machines, the dull whistling of the respiratory assistance, and her own trembling breaths. Almost hesitantly, she grabbed his hand, afraid that he might disappear on her again. It was warm, warm as it always had been–warm but completely lifeless otherwise. _I don't want to see anymore, feel anymore… it can't be true. I can't believe you came to save me just to put me into even greater despair_. She squeezed his larger hand with her smaller one, internally begging futilely for a reaction, and her shoulders began to shake involuntary, her tears flowing unwillingly.

"Don't cry, it won't change anything. It's just plain annoying," Sasuke commented in a raspy voice.

For the first time since she'd entered the room, Sakura noticed the presence of her other teammate. He was sitting at the other side of the bed, arms crossed over his chest, his black gaze even more somber than usual as his eyes were underlined with heavy shadows.

"He won't wake up sooner just because you cry," he added, but she understood that it was his way of telling her to be strong.

"Sasuke..." she mouthed, lost, searching for the comfort of a friend. _If it had been Naruto in his place, he would have been so kind and sweet and would have found something to make me smile. He would have… Naruto would have…_ She knew there was nobody else like Naruto, and her tears doubled because of it.

The Uchiha shook his head, irritated, "Pull yourself together! Naruto hates seeing you cry! What if he can hear you right now? Just shut up!"

Sakura bit her lower lip, tears sliding silently down her face. Did he know about Naruto's condition? Had anyone explained it to him? Should she tell him? Should she break any last hopes he might have?

"Sasuke..." she began, but the other ninja cut her off.

"He will wake up... Trust him," he affirmed. _He can't die without me... he promised that we would die together._

"Yeah, you're right," she agreed for the sake of keeping hope, for maintaining both their sanities. She dried her tears with the back of her hand.

Tsunade entered the room few minutes later, the nurse having informed her of her pupil's awakening. Sakura turned her head, noticing the presence. Seeing her mentor, the person who gave Naruto his diagnosis, made Sakura's eyes shine with fresh tears. The older woman walked closer to her apprentice, and as calmly as possible, progressed on to do Naruto's next treatment. She didn't need to look at Sakura's face to know that her apprentice had read the boy's medical charts. She didn't need to see those eyes red and puffy with tears to remind her how desperate the situation was.

"You're up..." Tsunade commented, trying to make small talk as she changed the IV dosage for Naruto's drip.

"Shishou, I..." Sakura hesitated, knowing the policies they had for patients well, "Can I stay here?" she asked sheepishly, hoping to not have to go back to her room.

The former Hokage offered her a maternal gaze and patted her head. She wasn't as heartless as some liked to think of her as, "I will ask for a nurse to bring a bed and your medication in here for you. You don't have recover yet, but you do have to sleep a little at least," Tsunade accepted, "And don't pull the same thing your teammate did," she said, her glance accusingly pointed toward Sasuke, "The boy refused to hear anything about resting; he hasn't even blinked an eye since he got here."

The dark-haired man grumbled sullenly at the remark, but he didn't try to debate further than he already had with the inflexible woman who threatened to throw him out for each and every argument he caused.

Sakura gave her a small smile, agreeing as Tsunade returned it and walked out of the room.

XXXXX

Sasuke sourly glanced at his teammate. The pink-haired kunoichi was changing Naruto's IV dosages, adjusting it after her routine check up. It was somewhat unnerving to be so powerless while she actively participated in Naruto's recovery. It only took her a couple of days to be out of bed, and she had immediately pleaded to be part of Naruto's recovery. _Favoritism!_ he thought. The old hag had agreed without a fuss, the only request that she'd made was that Sakura not push herself. He surreptitiously observed her in his usual silence, feigning total indifference to what she was doing, until she began to undress the blond.

"Hey! What the hell are you doing?" Sasuke stopped her, his hand gripping her wrist.

Sakura blinked, surprised by Sasuke's reaction. The man had hardly spoken to her since she'd come into the room; she hadn't even thought he'd been paying any attention to her at all, treating her with the same indifference he did with everyone else.

"I–I'm gonna wash him," she simply explained, a little confused by the burning stare her teammate was giving her, showing him the wet sponge she held in her other hand to prove her point.

"You can't!" he said sternly, taking the sponge away from her.

"Why not?" Sakura asked, taken aback.

"You can't! You're a girl!"

She paused, closing her eyes for a second. She could understand his grief, she could understand his bad mood, but hindering her work because of an unprofessional opinion was a little too much. What she could and couldn't do had nothing to do with her sex or his views. She was a fully fledged medic.

"I'm a doctor, it's my job. What's wrong with being a _girl_? Tsunade-sama is a woman too and you aren't uptight with her about it," she countered acidly, knowing all too well how Sasuke had obeyed her mentor to not get kicked out.

The Uchiha looked at her defiantly and huffed. _Damn women! The pupil is as annoying as the master._

"The old hag could be his grandmother! Don't you have any respect for his privacy?"

 _His privacy?_ She thought amusedly. What privacy? She had already seen Naruto from every possible angle. "I'm more worried about his wellbeing than his privacy right now," she answered. "Now give me that sponge!" the medic ordered, reaching for it.

"Don't talk about his wellbeing as if you care!" he spat.

The venom in his voice took her aback, taking all the wind out of her lungs. Sasuke hadn't expressed such animosity towards her since the end of the war.

"Why? Why are you being so hostile to me?" she asked, sounding pained. They might not have been as close as either of them were to Naruto, but she had hoped for him to accept her at least as a teammate.

"Why?" he laughed miserably, "You're asking me _why_?" his dark gaze pierced her, "For that! For him!" he yelled, pointing his finger accusingly at the near-lifeless body of the blond. "How do you think he ended up like that? Who do you think put him here?" he angrily retorted.

 _It hurts..._

She paled, losing her composure, her face faltering with distress. Her green eyes were wide open, as to imprint the image deep into her soul. She didn't need Sasuke to rub her own guilt into her face, to torture her again with the fact that all of this was because of her. She knew. She knew all too well what Naruto did for her. There wasn't a single moment she wasn't thinking of that or of him. Her eyes filled with tears again, but she didn't say a word. How could she say anything? It was her own fault, all her fault. She brushed away the drops that treacherously escaped her eyes. She shouldn't be crying. She couldn't. At least not for Naruto; she would stay strong and do all she could to help him hopefully get better. She hiccuped, her shoulders shaking under her restrained sobs.

Sasuke glanced at her, remorse washing over him. He didn't hate her, really; but he couldn't shake the feeling from his heart that if it haven't been for her, Naruto wouldn't be in a hospital bed right now.

"Forget it..." Sasuke begrudgingly muttered, "I know you did your best to save him," he conceded feebly. He looked regretfully at the sponge in his hand, the stupid reason for this argument, "I'll wash him. He would be more comfortable if it were me. Let him keep his pride as a man," he gently told her, the anger gone from his voice. Sakura just nodded, trying to reign in her overflowing emotions.

Shoulders slouched under an invisible weight, she left the room for a moment, closing the door behind herself to leave the two alone for their supposed "privacy". Sighing, she leaned back against the wall. She may've left both of her boys back in that room, but it felt like neither of them were there to begin with.

 _ **When I loose hope and want to give up, I reread your reviews. Don't think that I'm not fighting to not quit, I'm fighting everyday with myself a hard battle. Abandon would be so easy, but if you're here, I have a reason to fight. YOU ARE MY MOTIVATION! You can't imagine how much your support impact this story.**_


	9. Chapter 9

_**THANKS TO DESCRIPTION ALIVE 23 FOR BETA READING THE CHAPTER**_

 _eight heroes: Thanks_

 _Randoms guardian: Thanks_

 _Yeiger Meister31: Sasuke is a complicated character. He just nearly lost his last bond with life because of Sakura. He don't care about Sakura as much as he care about Naruto. Naruto is a special existence to him. I'm sure he could wage a war against the whole world if it meant to save Naruto. Thanks_

 _Max slayer: hope that you will find it to your taste. Thanks_

 _xblackxhunterx: It's sure that now Sasuke and Sakura relationship is strained. And they all suffer from this situation. Thanks_

 _guest: thanks_

 _Time reflect: Can't promise that I won't. thanks to have keep me working_

 _aWetBrownie:thanks_

 _Joey91731: Sasuke does love Naruto, that is a certainty for me. Yeah Sakura saved him (she's not such a useless character to me as she always save the day by saving the main hero)_

 _Guest: continue to be here, and I will try to hang on as long as I can. thanks_

 _kevin duarte 2000: I hope you will keep reviewing_

 _Elarmi: thanks_

 _guest: thanks_

 _DipstickMaden: I really tried really hard for the previous chapter. I'm glad that I managed to lit some emotion while reading it. This is a wonderful compliment. Thank you very much. I hope you will continue to like it for as long as it go._

 _Mdhunter: Thank you, enjoy your reading too. I hope this chapter will answer your question_

 _katus293: I can't promise that I won't give up, but I try. Hope you will continue to support me to help me continue. Thanks_

 _Guest: thanks_

 _dpmaragoni: I have some other plan sorry. I hope you will still like it. Thanks_

 _iKON0: thank you to have overcome you laziness. I help me overcome mine. reader and writer are more intertwined than what you can imagine. The futur of this story is between your hands._

 _mikochu: At least I have few chapters done before I give up. If you're here, I will try to hang on._

 _lifeissuck: thanks_

 _Harris Jamil Harris Jamil: I will try hang on as much as I can. but I can't promise anymore. Thanks_

 _ **Chap 9: Back to Zero**_

For the next few days, the relationship between Sasuke and Sakura was something that could be considered comfortable, in Sasuke's opinion. Both of them had silently agreed to maintain a still sort of muteness and immobility among themselves while they watched over Naruto together. Their days mostly consisted of carefully listening to the blond's regulated breathing controlled by the machines, and to the comforting beeping of the monitor, telling them that Naruto was still technically alive. Both of them respected the quietness, lost in their own thoughts and regrets; the calmness of the room was only continually disturbed by the arrival of the former Hokage, Tsunade, for Naruto's treatment, or by the occasional visit from Kakashi.

Sasuke sighed in frustration. On a daily basis, their former teacher personally visited to get any news from the two. Sakura respectfully greeted their Hokage and Sasuke just nodded to him, obliged to acknowledge his presence at least; past experience proved it to be futile to try to ignore the man, unfortunately. Everyday it was the same scenario: Kakashi would walk in, talk to Naruto's doctors, look over the blond for a minute or so, and then turn toward him and Sakura to spark up some sort of polite small talk. However, today, the visit somehow turned out to be even worse than usual as another person followed behind the Hokage upon his arrival.

Whiter than white, a face as impassive as the emotionless ANBU mask he carried at his side, the fourth member of team seven entered the room. Sai had barely finished giving his report to the Hokage for his latest ANBU mission when the gray-haired leader had informed him of Naruto's hospitalization. It would've been unfair to keep the artist away, especially when Naruto's other teammates were allowed to stay by his side around the clock. However, Kakashi wondered if he'd made the right choice when he saw the scowl on Sasuke's face when the other came in, and the darkened glare the Uchiha was receiving from Sai in return.

Apprehensively, the Hokage eyed the ANBU agent as he approached the bed. His black eyes, usually impassive, shifted to show distress and incomprehension as he lifted them toward Tsunade at the other end of the bed, reality hitting him hard from seeing the first man he could call his friend lying motionless in a hospital bed.

"How long has he been like this?" Sai inquired.

"Eleven days," Tsunade replied in the most professional tone she could muster, knowing that every person present in the room held Naruto dear in their hearts.

"Eleven days…" he repeated, "Have there been any signs of improvement?" the ANBU agent asked, hopeful.

"There's nothing wrong with his body. We've continued to treat him to keep his body as active as possible, but we can't see anything medically wrong that could be stopping him from waking up. however…" Tsunade lowered her eyes, "he is in a deep coma… one so deep that there's been no reaction to any sort of stimulation from him. Sometimes, the body shuts itself down in response to a violent trauma. It is possible that the pain Naruto's experienced has forced his mind to withdraw in on itself. There is no way to know when, or if, he will come back."

Sai's eyes opened wider, "Is this…?" he didn't finish his question, not daring to ask if it was _permanent_ , and this time even Sakura lowered her gaze to the floor.

"We hope not," Tsunade answered.

The Hokage's visit was cut short by work obligations and as one could've expected, Sai stayed the night and the following others as well. Now three seats, two beds, one sleeping blond man, and three silent members of Team Seven resided in the dismal hospital room. The atmosphere was constantly heavy, but still none of them breached the implied silent pact, keeping a sweet peace among them. Kakashi had passed by on some occasions to check on them all, and had been quite amazed to witness the civil cohabitation, wondering why in the world his office always seemed to turn into a mess when the four were together normally if this civility was possible between them; he left that day hoping that this providential Truce of God would continue even after Naruto awoke.

XXXXX

That night, drowsiness was starting to get the better of Sasuke; all those sleepless nights and restless naps plagued with nightmares had finally caught up with him. Slowly and unwillingly, his eyelids fluttered, tempted to close themselves for some much needed shuteye. In a brief instant, his sight lost its focus and he began to nod off involuntary. Sleep was conquering him. The calm black void was engulfing his body, and he floated under gradually as if he were defying gravity. Images began coming into his mind, shaking the tranquility of his dreamless state. Just as he felt like he was falling into another nightmare, the Uchiha brusquely reopened his eyes. His hand rubbed his face roughly, trying to chase away the lethargy weighing on his bones. There was no way he could sleep, he was haunted. The dark-haired man sat back straighter in his chair and looked around at his companions.

Sai was, as usual, drawing page after page of portraits, details, and models of Naruto. Sasuke had to admit that he was a little curious of the results of his scrawls, seeing as the nurses kept fawning over his notebook, asking the artist to let them have one. It would've been easy to catch a glimpse of something–if a nurse had managed to get even just one of the pieces, he'd surely be able to charm them into handing it over. But the artist refused to give away his art; and regardless, Sasuke refused to show any interest in him anyway.

Then his eyes turned to the pinkette. She had fallen asleep, her head resting on Naruto's hand. Sasuke briefly envied her for being able to touch Naruto so casually, as if he were hers–for the closeness she displayed without shame, acting as if it was natural for her to be with the blond, side by side. There was this conflicting feeling always battling in his heart when she showed him concern. Sasuke admired her for her skill, her intelligence, and for all the things that he wouldn't be able to manage without her. On the other hand, he hated her for acting like she was the center of Naruto's universe, and for being the reason for his downfall. His eyes moved from the nauseating sight, refusing to look more at her, to bear witness to the intimacy she shared with his best friend.

His dark gaze flittered toward the monitor to feed his typical fascination of the regular drawing of the electric activity of Naruto's body. Sasuke blinked, unsure if his tired eyes were playing tricks on him. He kept watching intently–but the rhythm was definitely different, he was sure of it. Was it the effect of a medication change? Without care for the much-needed rest that Sakura was finally getting, Sasuke shook her shoulder hastily.

"Sakura!" he repeatedly called her, attracting the attention of Sai in the process.

Sleepy green eyes sluggishly opened, widening once she realized who it was that was waking her up. For Sasuke to speak to her at all, let alone the violent shaking, meant something important must have happened.

"Sakura! Look! Is this normal? Why did the rhythm of the monitor change?" Sasuke questioned, not wasting a second as he pointed to the screen.

As he did, her eyes followed the electric pattern being recorded on the small display, and realization hit her. Immediately, she pulled a small flashlight out of her pocket and pried open one of Naruto's eyelids to see the pupil's reaction to the light. She squealed when she saw it, overjoyed.

"Call Tsunade-sama! Tell her that Naruto might be coming to!" she commanded Sai, who was the closest to the door, before working to test Naruto's other sensory functions.

Sasuke was standing stock-still at the other side of the bed. He could feel his heart beating loudly in his chest, as if the organ had finally decided to come back to life too. He wanted to laugh, he wanted to cry. He just wanted to see him again.

A big commotion in the corridor informed them of Tsunade's arrival. She entered the room completely out of breath and wasted no time in pushing Sasuke out of the way to examine her boy. She confirmed Sakura's diagnosis: Naruto's senses were resurfacing slowly. The two medics synchronized their healing energy to pull the comatose blond the rest of the way out of his slumber. Now that his consciousness had finally began to return to him, there was something for it to grab on to, to help him out of it. Relentlessly, they worked for three straight hours non-stop, and finally, a miracle happened.

Naruto's eyelids slowly opened, unveiling groggy blue eyes.

Tears streaked down the two women's faces, and Sakura's knees buckled underneath her, so she cried without reserve on the floor, seventeen days of restrained anguish finally lifted off her shoulders. Even the two most emotionless ninjas broke down somewhat, shedding a few tears at the sight of the most important person in their lives regaining consciousness.

The ocean irises shifted lazily from right to left, confused and disoriented. He looked at the faces around him, not understanding the reasons behind their expressions. He was feeling heavy, strangely inert, and tired. Naruto tried to move his head, but fatigue got the best of him and swallowed him in its embrace again.

XXXXX

The next time he opened his eyes, more faces were crowded around him. The blue eyes looked at each and every one of them, and then tried to determine where he was. With some difficulty, he moved his head and immediately a set of hands came up to help him. _A white wall. Machines. White. So much white._ And with that, he fell asleep again, still just as confused as had been when he'd woken up.

Naruto could feel his body being touched even only semi-conscious–he could feel a soothing vibration entering his body. _That feels nice_. He could hear voices. _Are they talking to me?_ Someone was holding his hands. A slight pain in his throat, something being pulled _out_ of his throat. It was a scratchy sensation. His fingers twitched and the soothing energy came back again, letting him relax once more.

XXXXX

Again, The blond blinked a few times. He absolutely had no idea of the time, whether it was day or night, or whatever. How long had it been since he'd first woken up? For him, it'd felt like nothing more than few seconds, but something in the expressions of the people around told him that they'd been waiting longer than that.

The chesty one– _God, what a pair of boobs!–_ leaned toward him a bit more to address him, "Can you hear me?

He nodded slightly, his movements still sluggish.

"Can you squeeze my hand?"

Naruto concentrated; his fingers were tingling as he tried to move them.

Tsunade smiled appreciatively. His grip wasn't very tight, but at least he could move. "Can you cough?"

He sighed inwardly; this was beginning to look very stupid. Why was she asking him to do all this? He already felt exhausted. She repeated her request and he looked her in the eyes. _Why is she worried? Everyone can cough._ So just to please her, he complied. The action made him slightly dizzy, but he paid it no mind.

"Very good, honey!" she smiled, patting his head.

 _The soothing feeling… It's back. Did she do that?_ he wondered, easing himself down, more comfortably into the pillow.

"Can you see my finger?" she asked next, gently.

The blue gaze shifted to the rigid finger in front of his face and deviated for a brief instance to the generous view of cleavage just off to the side of it. _There are better things to look at._

"Honey, can you follow my finger?" she insisted with the same tone of concern in her voice.

 _Honey… she called me honey again… Is she my girlfriend? Well, that would be great... She sure has some good traits to keep a man busy._ His eyes returned to the boring finger, though, and he did as he was asked just to please her once more before falling asleep again.

Tsunade redressed herself, satisfied. This was very good. As usual, Naruto was recovering at a much faster pace compared to how most would. In no time, he would be on his two feet, running around the village again.

XXXXX

By the time Naruto reopened his eyes for the fourth time, the room had changed. There was more light spilling in through the large windows on the other side of the room; many machines were gone, but the same people remained. _Do they have nothing better to do than watch me sleep?_ He noticed he felt a bit better, so he tried to push himself up and immediately the two women came to help him, fixing the pillow behind his back to keep him sitting upright.

The famous Sannin continued to run different tests while Sakura at her side took notes describing all of Naruto's reactions. He positively reacted to the sensation of touch, temperature, and moisture. He was able to move each of his limbs, and to make multiple facial expressions. All of their results had been very encouraging–until…

"Can you speak?" Tsunade requested in such a gentle voice that Sakura wondered if she was the same woman she'd known for years. Her master had never been that sweet with anyone before. Was it because this was Naruto? He _had_ always been a special person in Tsunade's life. She knew that Naruto was almost like a son to her, but even so, she'd never shown any sort of maternal kindness toward him. Was it because they'd been so afraid to lose him?

The blond frowned, lost, and the busty woman clarified her request.

"Just say something, whatever you'd like. Whatever comes to your mind."

Naruto thought for a second before he asked: "Wh-Who… are you?" he uttered, with effort, his own voice sounding foreign in his ears. He paused, blinked, and wondered why his question made her face fall. _Did I answer it wrong?_

The pink-haired woman blanched and let her notepad slip out of her grasp. The older woman looked shocked, and the two black-haired guys' faces were... _Nothing. There're no expressions on their faces…_ _Are they brothers? There's something similar about them_... _and the one with the mask_... _Well he's wearing a mask, so I can't tell_...

"Haha! very funny, Naruto! Is this another one of your pranks?" the pink one said, visibly uncomfortable.

"Wh-What? Naruto? Food? Why food?" The blond was puzzled. These people were making no sense.

One of the dark-haired men walked forward, his arms crossed over his chest, his brows furrowed. The blond watched him with perplexity, wondering why he wore such a long face.

The last Uchiha bent down to look at his best friend, trying to see if he was lying. He knew all of Naruto's faces, and the expression he was wearing now was not one of his own–it nearly seemed like another man entirely. Having a bad feeling about the situation his best friend was in, Sasuke activated his Sharingan to look into his brain. Generally, out of courtesy, he wouldn't invade his best friend's privacy, but this was an emergency. Sasuke found himself in front of a black wall. Nothing was visible. No matter how much he forced his Sharingan to go through, the memories were inaccessible. It wasn't a prank, Naruto had forgotten them all.

"Nothing…" Sasuke concluded, "There's something in his mind blocking his memories."

Sakura staggered back, taking support on the wall. She felt like fainting. She felt like vomiting. All of this must've been a nightmare, or a genjutsu. One after another, things just kept piling up. But she couldn't afford to break now. She felt a hand on her shoulder and saw Sai by her side. She smiled at him reassuringly before forcing herself to take a deep breath of air to steady herself.

"Blockage?" Tsunade repeated, surprised. In the case of a coma, there was often a risk of brain damage, but she'd never heard of a blockage before. Was it the invisible matter that invaded his body? "If the memories are just locked, we need a person who can extract information from a brain."

"We should also have someone look at the circulation of chakra inside his brain; there might be something we couldn't detect with our usual healing chakra," Sakura added, recomposing herself.

"Call Ino and Hinata," the former Hokage commanded Sai.

The blond alternated looking between the busty one, the pink one, and the grumpy looking one. None of them had answered his question yet.

"What's… going on?" Naruto asked, his voice becoming less and less gravelly with each word he spoke.

"Sorry, you must be feeling quite lost right now. You seem to be experiencing some amnesia; but don't worry, we'll get everything fixed up soon. Naruto is your name and we are your friends." Tsunade explained gently, pointing to the different people in the room.

Naruto looked at her doubtfully. _She must be making fun of me_. _Naruto? My name is Naruto? What kind of parents would name their child after a surimi?_

"My name is really Naruto?"

"Yes, your name is Naruto. Naruto Uzumaki. Does it sound at all familiar?"

The blond shook his head, stopping shortly after when it started to make him feel sick.

Tsunade smiled sadly, nodding, "Well, anyway, you should rest for now, honey. There there will be some more people coming to help you soon," she recommended.

Naruto innocently gazed up at Tsunade, "Honey? Are we… intimate?"

Kakashi restrained a laugh at that. If the boy knew how old Tsunade was, he wouldn't be asking that.

"No, you're not… Honey is just a nickname she gave you," Sakura refuted.

"Oh? Too bad... She's really attractive," Naruto said genuinely, making the former Hokage blush; she hadn't even realized how seductive he could seem.

Naruto then looked to the pink-haired one who'd answered him. She was cute too; without a doubt less… blessed, but undeniably cute. "Are you...?" he tried to ask her if she was his girlfriend, but Sai intervened.

"Don't say it if you don't want to get yourself killed," he advised the blond in a low tone, "Sakura is a violent one. Besides, she likes your bastard best friend," he finished, not-so-discreetly pointing to Sasuke as he did.

"Oh?" Naruto looked at Pinky on his right, then at Grumpy to his left. _Well, he is indeed handsome. No luck, damn._

"Sai, stop meddling!" Sakura growled menacingly. This was _exactly_ why she had wanted to keep her relationship with Naruto a secret, so she could have the time to prepare their friends to accept the fact that they were a couple. "Naruto, don't listen to him. Sasuke and I are just teammates," she clarified, biting her lower lip to hold herself back from telling him that he actually was her boyfriend, pained to no end by not being recognized by him.

Naruto looked at each one of them individually, repeating their names to try to confirm that he got them all right, "Sasuke, Sai, Sakura," then he pointed to himself, "Naruto," he said without much conviction.

Sakura never knew how much a simple name could hurt until he uttered her name in such an unfamiliar way. It was so… distant. Impersonal. He didn't even add the "-chan" like he usually did. It was trivial, but it made her feel like crying, realizing that she might still be losing him. He didn't even know her anymore. How could she tell him that they loved each other when he didn't remember her at all.

Sai appreciatively nodded and decided to help Naruto further, "And this is Tsunade-sama, but you usually call her Baa-chan; and Kakashi-sama is our current Hokage."

Tsunade face-palmed hearing her nickname divulged.

"Baa-chan? But she's nearly the same age as me…" Naruto muttered, only getting more and more confused.

"Actually she's–" Sai got cut short by the powerful flick of a finger to his forehead, sending him right to the other side of the room.

"Well, I think that's enough information for one day!" Tsunade declared. "Now, you should rest a little."

XXXXX

Hinata and Ino arrived as soon as they could, dropping all other business to answer the missive sent by Sai asking them to come down to the hospital immediately. The sight that greeted them upon entering Naruto's room was far less stress-inducing than the one that the members of Team Seven had to experience as the blond's respiratory assistance had been removed from his throat, and all the cables recording the electric activity of his body detached. All he wore now was a clip around his finger that monitored his pulse, and a small line to an IV pole in the corner dripping saline. He was just sleeping peacefully. Even the room was less austere, since he'd been moved from the ICU.

The two women greeted the occupants of the room, noticing the heavy bags and slightly agitated faces that most of them bore. It was easy to guess that none of them had had a decent night's sleep in a while. Ino was surprised when she saw Sasuke's complexion, he'd never worn such a grief-stricken face before, not even after the war, being all beaten up. All the members of Team Seven simply looked ghostlike.

Tsunade came to explain the situation to them, Naruto's current state, his coma, and his now apparent amnesia. Ino empathized with the members of team seven, she could understand their states. If it had been Shikamaru or Chouji, she would've certainly been in the same desolate mindset. She and Hinata hadn't known about the coma, it'd been kept secret for political reasons–Naruto was the next in line to be Hokage, after all. They were only told that Naruto was still recuperating. The two had been patiently waiting for the good news of his complete recovery, not expecting this turn of events.

Ino was the first to walk forward to the bed where the sleeping blond lay. She hugged her best friend in silent support before she would begin her tasks–she knew how much Sakura cared for her teammate. Hinata stayed a step behind, still in shock from learning about Naruto's condition, from discovering that he had amnesia. Her eyes were glued to the man whom she loved from the bottom of her heart, so much so she felt it squeeze painfully in her chest. _Naruto..._ her Naruto needed her now. She came closer to the group and, with determination, took her place. For once, she could do something for the man that gave her the strength she needed her whole life. She activated her Byakugan and scanned Naruto's cerebral cortex for any activity while Ino investigated the jinchuuriki's mind.

The Hyuuga couldn't see any foreign chakra flow present, but she did notice an abnormality in Naruto's neural network pattern. Many were inactive, somehow obstructed. It was as if a cage had been placed around his brain. She could really begin to see the change in activity when Ino began her own work–some sparks lit up and died just as suddenly. Hinata stopped her observing when Ino exhaled loudly, leaving the realm of Naruto's mind. The new head of the intelligence division had been trying to find a way to extract something, but had failed to do so. The Yamanaka heiress pondered how her father would have proceed in a case like this, loathing his absence even more.

"It's unbreakable," Ino admitted in a defeated tone.

"What did you see?" Tsunade asked the Hyuuga princess.

Hinata shyly fumbled with her fingers, "There is no chakra flowing other than his own, but the pattern of his cerebral activity is... hmm... abnormal. Something is blocking the normal function of his neurons. But when Ino-san tried to enter his mind, there was some minor activity."

Tsunade reflected on the new information about the case for a moment before saying, "Ino, please try again when Naruto wakes up. Maybe if he puts in some conscious effort, it'll lead to something more."

XXXXX

Voices, new voices.

"Activate the temporal lobes."

"The cerebellum is still not accessible."

 _What are they talking about?_ Naruto thought.

Naruto's eyes fluttered open and he turned his head in direction of the voices. Four woman. They were four now, all gathered around a sheet of paper where Chesty was pointing to a picture. He looked towards the two new woman, one with long black hair and one with long blond hair. _Long hair is so beautiful!_ His attention was pulled from the two when he heard someone talking to him.

"Oh! You're awake! What a heavy sleeper you are. Well, I suppose it can't be helped, you must be exhausted," the masked man joked.

 _What was his name? Kaga... Kaka..._

"Ka... Ka..." Naruto trailed off at the end, still searching for the last syllable in his jumbled brain.

"Yeah Kakashi! You're right! Kakashi!" he amiably repeated, patting his shoulder.

The dark-haired man leaned over him, and Naruto gulped under the intense stare. He felt like he was constantly under observation lately, scrutinized by the silent man whenever he laid his eyes on him. _What is this man looking for exactly? He said he saw inside my memories. Can someone really do that?_ But the question that the man asked next surprised him, having not expected it from such a serious-looking person.

"What's my name?" the sharingan user asked, hiding his hopes of being remembered.

"Sa..." Naruto started.

 _Don't say Sai_ , thought the Uchiha.

"Sasu–ke," Naruto finished, unsure. He blushed, though, when he saw the guy in front of him, apparently Sasuke, smile. _Whoa… I understand why Pinky fell for this guy! He sure is attractive._

"Don't tire him out, we need to get to work!" Tsunade's authoritative voice rang loudly, spotting the group of guys gathered around Naruto.

The women turned toward the guys when Tsunade spoke, and Ino and Sakura's jaws dropped when they saw Sasuke smiling at Naruto. Was that _really_ Sasuke? That man only had two expressions in his repertoire: scowling and neutral.

Naruto looked at the four women, finally able to see their faces. _All super cute!_ His gaze then lowered to check another important part of the women's anatomies: their boobs. His eyes zigzagged between the different sizes, from super boobs, to big boobs, to nice boobs, to cute boobs.

Sakura felt strangely uncomfortable being situated between Tsunade and Hinata. She shouldn't've been doubting her own appeal, as Naruto had told her that he found her beautiful the first time they made love. She should believe in him, but when his stare stayed more insistently fixed on Tsunade's cleavage, she felt a sudden need to punch something.

"Na-ru-to..." the sound of Sakura's voice was threatening enough to call him back to reality and make him stop his perverted activities. There was something familiar in the way she said his name, something that resonated deep down inside him, like an animal instinct.

"Sorry, Sakura!" Naruto squeaked, not even hesitating to say her name.

"No violence, Sakura! Naruto might have lost his ability to mold chakra, he is completely vulnerable," Tsunade reminded her apprentice, aware of their usual interactions.

"I know, I know, don't worry; I'm not gonna punch him or anything. I would never do something that he couldn't sustain," the pinkette mumbled, ashamed that her mentor thought that she would ever really hurt Naruto. Their fights had only ever consisted of a few bumps and bruises, things that she knew were nothing more than scratches for Naruto with his almost unbelievable resilience.

Tsunade approached the blond, pushing away the men surrounding him, "How do you feel?" she asked gently, helping him up to a sitting position.

"Better," Naruto said with a small smile. His body was less tired and he could feel that he had a better grasp at controlling it.

"Ino and Hinata are here to help you. Do you think you can work with us for a bit?" she inquired, her hand gesturing toward the two new women.

Naruto nodded.

"I want you just relax and try to think deeply about anything related to your name, Naruto. Try to remember whatever you can, whatever it makes you think of. Can you do that?"

Naruto glanced at the blond girl who sat nearby, then to the black-haired girl standing behind her.

"Yeah, I'll try," he accepted. _Well, the whole "Naruto" thing doesn't really speak much to me, but cute women are worth the effort._

 _XXXXX_

 ** _To be honest, I planned to not even publish what is already written. I just wanted to get rid of it and all the doubt and loneliness. But I guess I will give more time before burying this story. I am technically on Hiatus, saved by few chapters ahead to let me continue to publish until I find some willpower to write again._**

 ** _Hope you will like the chapter, enough to write a review to bring me back to life._**

 ** _Thanks to all that have give me support._**


	10. Chapter 10

_**THANKS TO DESCRIPTION ALIVE 23 FOR BETA READING THE CHAPTER**_

 _Yojimbra: Naruto just grew up to be a perv himself (he always have been depicted looking at magazine with girls, even if he was a gentleman with all the girls around him). Thank you!  
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 _Guest: Naruto is weak because he had been injured. Even in the original, Naruto is often in a nearly a death call before saving the day ;) Thanks_

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 _OfficialAce: Sorry that you don't like memories loss stuff, I hope that my story will be enough to keep you interested in. I guess if I don't see you anymore, that would mean, I didn't manage my job to make it worth it. For Sasuke being gay or not, you will have some answer in this chapter, and for how he will cope with naruto and Sakura relationship will be said in few more chapter (you mind be surprise by what I planned for them). Thank you to have gave me your impression on the story, it help me understand more my readers feelings about it._

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 _hunbun: Thank you! I guess, each one of them have a very complex personality, and I hope you will like how I envision it. Sasuke finding out about NaruSaku relationship will be an intense moment, at least it how it have been for me writing it._

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 _Star1X: Sasuke is a little complex, it's not just simple jealousy, but this answer will arrive in further chapters. Thank you very much. Hope you will like it._

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 _Guest: No worries about Naruto affection, everything will arrive in time, I am still a NaruSaku writer even if I messed up the story to have a change of pace in this one._

 _ **SORRY FOR THE DELAY, LIFE WAS HECTIC...**_

 _ **Chap 10: Sacrifices are needed**_

Naruto's first session of memory extractions didn't bring up any results, as well as the few following it. But Hinata's observations confirmed that Naruto's brain was becoming more and more active with time, bringing hope to the possibility of slowly restoring the network systems inside.

So after five more days at the hospital, Naruto was already able to move around fairly freely, and his general health was satisfactory enough to permit him to leave the hospital. Even with the loss of his memories, the blond couldn't stand to stay locked up in a hospital room, and his pleas eventually won Tsunade over when he stated how living back in his normal environment might help him remember something.

Her boy had a point, and Tsunade let him out.

That was how after one final meticulous checkup, Naruto was discharged from the hospital. Sasuke brought him some of his own clothes to change into, and was now waiting outside his room with Sakura to accompany him to their house. As Kakashi had told them before leaving for his office, they were to be Naruto's personal bodyguards until the blond fully recovered. Naruto was the next Hokage in line, and many people against the peace in the alliance created by his mere presence would try to use the opportunity to kill him while he couldn't fight back if they found out. It was obvious to the Hokage to pick the blond's two former teammates for the job, as Sakura was his personal doctor and Sasuke was his near shadow.

Naruto opened the door with a grin on his face, happy to finally be able to leave his confines. Sakura eyed him from head to toe and turned to Sasuke.

"How did you find clothes of his that _weren't_ orange?" she asked, surprised.

Sasuke smirked, admiring his handiwork: Naruto in a decent outfit, "It wasn't easy, but yeah, he has some, he just never wears them."

Naruto stepped forward, and the small group left the hospital to roam through Konoha's busy streets. Head turning from right to left, Naruto watched, fascinated by the place that was supposedly his village. Many new buildings framed the streets, most of them seeming to have been put up within the last five years. Was Konoha a recent settlement or had it been impressively growing over the last few years? Had he been born here or did he move here later on? So many questions jumped around in his head, with even more coming with each step. Why? How? When? Where? His gaze wandered, his feet slowed down, and soon, a hand grabbed his wrist.

"What are you doing, Naruto? If you don't stay with us, you're gonna get lost," Sasuke told him, pulling him along as if he were a child.

"Sorry, Sasuke..." Naruto apologized, following his friend's pace obediently. It was somewhat reassuring to have the other's hand holding his own. It was stupid, but he felt safer with Sasuke by his side in this unknown world. He'd been seeing the man everyday since he'd woken up, and now the man was one of his only points of reference. They had told him at the hospital that he lived with Sasuke, and that they were both orphans and best friends. Sasuke had been with him the whole time, like family. He smiled quietly, turning to look at the pinkette walking by his side – Sakura, too, she hadn't left him even once. Too bad the skinny one – Sai? – couldn't've come with them, stating that he had to work. _What kind of work do ninjas do?_ he wondered as he continued to look around in curiosity.

They turned the next corner, beginning down a commercial area, the streets becoming busier as they approached the central market. After a few moments of slowly moving their way down the road, some people began to recognize the blond, and the team had to eventually stop as villagers rushed toward Naruto, happy to see him well after the announcement made about his hospitalization. Quickly, a group formed around the blond, the crowd dragging in more and more people until the following was impressive. Naruto stood stupefied by the mob surrounding him; he didn't know where to look or what to think of it. He didn't recognize any of the faces he saw and he began to feel uncomfortable with the strangers talking about someone he couldn't remember being.

Sasuke watched as his friend's expression turned sour. Generally, Naruto loved to be surrounded by people, which was why he hadn't intervened when people had begun to approach. He thought that the blond would've appreciated being cared about so much by his people. But seeing his face, his troubled gaze, the last Uchiha chose to shorten their little meet and greet. He stood up in front of the blond, making a barricade with his body, using just his glare to make the people surrounding them take a step back.

"Naruto is still convalescent, please allow him some time to readjust." Sakura amiably waved the villagers away, also noticing Naruto's discomfort and feeling Sasuke's threatening aura. Once the gathering was dispersed, she turned to her teammates, "We should maybe take the rooftops to avoid crowds, Naruto is too well-known to walk around like this. It's understandable that they would want to see him after his discharge."

Sasuke glanced over his shoulder to his clueless best friend. He looked so defenseless and disoriented–so unlike the Naruto he knew. The dark-haired man crouched forward slightly, offering his back for the blond to get on, "Get up, I'll carry you."

Naruto shook his head, taking a step back, "Huh? No! I'm fine! I can walk! I swear, I'm not tired!" the blond rambled.

Sasuke clicked his tongue, "I know you can walk, idiot. But we have to travel over the rooftops and you're not fully healed yet, so climb on – or would you rather I carry you like a princess?" he teased.

"If you're not comfortable with Sasuke, I could carry you," Sakura suggested.

Naruto looked back and forth between his two friends. _Are they serious?_ They'd told him that they were his teammates, and that they were ninja, but... _Carrying_ him? Jumping across rooftops? Did ninja really do this kind of thing?

"Come on, the sooner you climb on, the sooner we can go home," Sasuke insisted, turning to show his back again.

Naruto hesitated. A grown man getting a piggyback ride from another grown man. He shut his eyes tight, swallowing his pride. Besides, they knew what they were doing; they cared for him, it was all for his own good. They'd stayed beside him the whole time he was in the hospital, they wouldn't wish him any harm. He could trust them – or as least he hoped he could as he extended his reach out toward Sasuke.

As soon as his arms locked around the dark-haired man's neck, Naruto felt the wind clash against his face and he opened his eyes wide. _Holy shit! So fast! So high! This can't be called jump at this point, this is flying! My best friend is strong as hell!_ His head turned to the side and he was surprise to see Sakura following alongside them just fine, as if it were the most normal thing in the world. _Woah! She's awesome too!_

In only a couple of minutes, the group had crossed the village and landed gracefully in front of a big house near the suburbs of Konoha. It was a double-storey house painted all white with many windows on the first floor, a long bay window on the ground floor, a wooden door, and a stone path bisecting a small garden in the front. Naruto was amazed to see the abundance of flower bouquets and gifts lined up in front of the doorway, nearly covering the whole entrance.

"What's all this?" he asked, dumbfounded.

"Get well soon gifts…" Sasuke stated, jaded. He had noticed them a little earlier on when he came to search for Naruto's clothes. The worst being that Konohamaru, who'd been in charge of taking care of the house and garden in their absence, had already filled up every corner possible _inside_ the house. These were just the ones that wouldn't fit.

Naruto crouched down in front one of them and opened the card attached. It was written in a clumsy, colorful scrawl, certainly by a child. "Get well, Naruto-sama…" he read, stunned as he turned toward his best friends, "Am I some sort of celebrity?"

"Yeah, you're kind of famous," Sasuke admitted. "A war hero, more like."

"Am I strong like you guys?" Naruto asked, hopeful as he stood up, keeping the card in his hand.

"You're the strongest one of us, Naruto!" Sakura answered, a tone of pride in her voice.

She was expecting him to be ecstatic to hear he was the strongest, or at least happy. But instead, Naruto looked sadly to the card in his hands, avoiding eye contact with them. Far from his prideful cocky grin and unbreakable confidence, he looked like a lost child, his head slightly bent forward, and his smile nowhere to be seen.

"Will you... will you show me how to do it again? Will you help me remember...?" he asked, clenching his fingers tighter around the piece of paper in his hand, creasing it. The end of his sentence carried what he had been carefully hiding since he'd woken up without even any slight indication of who he really was: his fears, his needs, his insecurities – he hated it. He hated this darkness surrounding his mind. No matter how much he'd tried to force himself, he couldn't remember any of the people who'd smiled at him today – their names were just as lost as anything else that made him who he was.

A hand resting on his shoulder made him raise his head, and his blue eyes met the assured black ones of his best friend, "You will remember. I'm going to help you," Sasuke affirmed.

"I will too!" Sakura added, not wanting to be left out.

Naruto's smile widened, "Thank you guys… you're great friends," Naruto said, sincerely touched. It felt good to have some support.

Sakura pushed the gifts by the entrance aside to clear a path for them to pass, unlocking the door and walking through. _She has her own key..._ Naruto noticed before he followed them inside, his eyes immediately flitting around animatedly, trying to look everywhere at once. This place was supposedly his home, but he didn't feel any sort of familiarity upon entering. He had secretly hoped that he would at least _feel_ at home, even if he didn't actually recognize or remember the house. But there was nothing, still just the infinite blackness in his head. Sakura showed him around, describing everything: where he could find his things, where the bathrooms and kitchen were, and what he could find in every cupboard and closet. She seemed to know the house like the back of her hand. _Does she live with us too? I thought they told me I only lived with Sasuke…?_ He shrugged, _whatever, it'll be cool to live with a cute girl too._

Naruto didn't remember half of what she told him, but he didn't care much. He would cross that bridge when he got there. The blond stopped longer in his room than any other to look around, searching for something that might resonate within him. Sakura and Sasuke watched from the door, hoping for the same thing. He walked around, opened his wardrobe, and fumbled through it. "Orange" was the first word that came to his mind, seeing his clothes. He then continued on through the room, looking through the window at the view he would've seen each morning, touching the sheets on his bed.

His room was quite simplistic: a closet, a king size bed, and two nightstands on each side of it. Before he could turn to leave, he spotted a picture frame on one of the nightstands and he took it in his hand. It was a picture of Team Seven from back when they were still kids. _So I really have known them since childhood, huh?_ _Sakura was so cute back then… but she's even cuter now. And Sasuke was handsome, even as a child. The masked guy was with us then too._ _I guess they did say he was our teacher before being the Hokage... What was his name again? Kaka... Kaga… Hey! It's me! Man, what a scrawny kid I was._

"Did you remember something?" Sakura's hopeful voice brought him out of his musings.

"Nope... nothing," Naruto said with a sad smile, putting the photo back in its place to continue the tour of his own unfamiliar house.

With a sigh, Sakura followed a step behind Naruto as Sasuke showed him around the rest of the first floor, with the bathroom, his room, and the guest rooms. Sakura felt horrible, her emotions in turmoil. She wanted to cry, she wanted to run away – but at the same time she wanted to stay, to make him remember her. It was so frustrating, the way he looked at her as if she were a complete stranger. She knew it wasn't his fault, and that he was trying to be friendly with them. And she could understand how difficult it must be for him, to wake up with no recollection of his past, of his friends – forced to believe whatever the people around him were saying, people who he had absolutely no clue who they were. She could understand, but it didn't diminish the pain of seeing him without his smile, the pain of not existing in his memory.

She realized now how much Naruto used to care about her, how often he used to turn toward her, always smiling, only now that he had stopped. She missed it. She missed him to the point of tears. How could two people be so close one day, and so distant the next? How was she suppose to react in a situation like this? How could she go back to being just friends with him, when all she wanted was to curl up in his arms, hug him tight, and hear him again call her "Sakura-chan" in that endearing way he used to again? She needed him so, so much. She couldn't imagine things just staying like they used to be back when they were just friends, it wouldn't be enough anymore.

Sakura lifted her eyes up to see the large shoulders of the man walking in front of her, and she repressed the urge to jump on him, to bury her face against him. He was here, after all those sleepless nights praying for him to wake up, he was here, in front of her. If she just extended her hand, she would be able to touch him surely. So close… yet so far... He was here, but he wasn't _here_. Her throat tightened with her pent-up distress so much she wanted to vomit. Her body wobbled slightly, and she found support on the wall while Sasuke continued on, formidably ignoring her as usual. For once, she felt grateful for his uncaring attitude, as it allowed her a second or two to recompose herself.

Naruto passed a bored glance around the last room. There there was nothing really noteworthy about it, nothing able to even breach on the shadow of a memory; he was beginning to wonder if he was a lost cause and he sighed loudly. A small hand clutched his elbow in a form of silent support and he tightened his fist, gathering courage. He had friends caring for him, friends ready to help him – he should at least try his best to remember them, for their sakes, for the sake of not being left alone with the darkness of his own mind.

As they walked back down the stairs again, the blond glanced over his shoulder at Sakura, finally daring to ask her the question that'd been pending on his tongue for a while after realizing that they'd finished going through all the rooms and they still hadn't mentioned hers.

"Do you not live with us?" he asked.

Sakura blushed timidly at Naruto. Many times in the past, before Sasuke's return, Naruto would suggest she be his housemate whenever she complained about her parents. She had foolishly always refused, seeing it improper to live with her best friend. She regretted it now, of course, like she regretted many other decisions she'd made in her life that'd always kept him at an arm length. If he were to ask her again today, she wouldn't even hesitate; she would stop lying to herself and take all of what he would give her. Her heart might be torn to shreds by the end of it as consequence, but she wouldn't care. She only wanted to have more time to be with him, to be together.

However, her desire to stay obviously wasn't shared by Naruto's housemate. The statement proved when the Uchiha replied in the bluntest tone possible, "No, she doesn't."

Naruto's eyebrows drew together in confusion; how could the girl know so much about the place if she didn't live with them? He wanted to ask, but with the way his best friend had answered him, he felt as though he were walking in a minefield. Maybe the two had been together and were broken up. _Now that I think about it, Sai said something about Sakura liking Sasuke, and Sakura did look kinda pained when she said that they were just teammates._

"If you want me to stay, I can," Sakura kindly offered, not impressed in the least by Sasuke's harsh tone.

Naruto briefly glanced to Sasuke, who was standing few feet away. The frown he bore wasn't telling him anything good, and Naruto guessed that he was probably right about their previous relationship. Not wanting to start any more trouble for his friends, Naruto just shook his head, "No, it's fine, Sakura. Sasuke will be here if I need anything," the blond assured her, but Sakura pouted a little, saddened to not be needed.

They ended their tour in the lounge, and Naruto sat on the sofa like a guest in someone else's home, his eyes wandering around, still in search for something to rekindle his memory. No furniture, no corner, and no book or scroll awakened anything in him. There was a photo taken more recently than the last of him and Sakura sitting on one of the shelves, seeming to have been taken at a graduation for something; they were smiling. There was another photo with a group; he could recognize some of the faces in it as people who'd come to visit him in the hospital. _Where's Sasuke? He's not in any of the pictures._

"How do you feel, Naruto?" Sakura asked, sitting down in the chair facing his, "Are you tired?" She touched his forehead, trying to feel if he had any sort of temperature after the busy day he'd had. "I'm going to make some tea. Do you want any?" she asked as she stood up. The best way to be useful to him was to take care of his physical health for now, to help him recover as fast as possible. At the moment, sustenance and fluids would do him the most good.

"Oh, yeah, sure. Thanks!" the blond accepted. A cute girl preparing him tea was always good. Then he glanced at Sasuke – the frown between his dark brows had deepened. _Oops…_

A strained silence extended for a little while after Sakura's departure. Naruto fidgeted around; he could feel his black-haired teammate's stare on him, but the man didn't say a word. Was he upset at him for asking if Sakura lived with them? Or for letting her make him tea?

"What's wrong, Naruto?" Sasuke's voice surprised him. He watched as the raven-haired man walked toward him and took a seat close by, making him feel more than a little unsettled. Naruto quickly searched his brain for a reply, something that would still be comfortable and casual to talk with him about, amnesia and all. Maybe if he showed Sasuke that he wasn't interested in Sakura, the atmosphere would be more relaxed. There must be nothing worst than having your ex-girlfriend coddling your best friend right in front of you.

"Haha!" Naruto rubbed the back of his neck clumsily, "I was wondering… do you know if I have a girlfriend? There were all those cute girls visiting me at the hospital, but after what happened with Tsunade, I didn't really wanna ask, if… y'know… if I was intimate with any of them. Seeing as we live together, I assume you might know about it…" he trailed off.

Sasuke stared at him blankly **.** He'd been worried that Naruto was feeling unwell, with how perturbed he'd seemed, but the guy was just looking for a way to ask him about his own private life.

"No, you don't," Sasuke stated flat out.

"No?" Naruto repeated, crestfallen.

"Nope," the Uchiha confirmed, not bothering to sugarcoat.

"Huh… Well, ok. I have no girlfriend, but... I'm twenty-one, right? I saw myself in the mirror the other day, I think I'm quite handsome, except for those marks on my face... I must have been kissed before, at least," he insisted.

Sasuke glanced off to the side, breaking the eye contact he'd been holding with the other, but didn't respond.

"So you _do_ know!" Naruto exclaimed, happy to not have to be completely the left out type of guy, "So who was my first kiss?" he asked eagerly, leaning forward in his chair, excited to hear the name of the girl. _Was it Big Boobs?_ _She was quite cute, and she was always looking at me_. Well, technically, everyone had kept looking at him when he was in the hospital, but none of them were his girlfriend, apparently. "Who?" he said again, inching closer, eagerness written all over his face.

Black eyes briefly glanced into the shining blue of his friend's and he averted his gaze again to the side, "Me…" Sasuke feebly admitted. There was no point in lying, Naruto needed truths to remember. But that didn't make it any less aggravating when Naruto jolted back, hearing what he'd said.

"You? Like you and me kissed?" he questioned, baffled. _Oh, man! I wouldn't've guessed that I was in a relationship with a guy!_

"Yeah, but it was an accident," Sasuke added, trying to pour water on any possible misunderstandings he knew were running through his friend's mind at that moment.

Naruto exhaled loudly, relaxing back. _So_ _I'm not gay. Even if_ _Sasuke is definitely more beautiful than some of the girls... he still doesn't have boobs._ "Ok... Who was my second kiss?" he asked, more confident.

A faint blush spread over his friend's pale face and the Uchiha looked into the expectant eyes of the blond, "Me..." he confessed, a little mortified remembering it all.

"You?" Naruto narrowed his eyes, scrutinizing the handsome man in front of him. _Is he lying? Were we…?_

"It was involuntary!" Sasuke argued, feeling the heavy stare of his best friend weighing on him, doubting their sexualities.

"Who else? Who else have I kissed, apart from you?" Naruto asked, a little frustrated now, scratching his head just a bit too hard. _With all these girls around me, don't tell me I was in love with a guy…_

"Nobody that I know; but we haven't been living with each other for very long, so I don't know everything about you," he answered honestly.

"So you were my first kiss, and possibly my last kiss…" Naruto pondered, rubbing his chin. Sasuke nodded with a small sigh at the affirmation, his pride fairly damaged by the memories. Blue eyes glanced over to his friend, still seated nearby. He needed to sort all of this out, this whole amnesia thing was starting to get to him. "Can I kiss you?" he requested bluntly. "Just to see if I remember the first time. A first kiss is supposed to be a pretty prominent memory, so… so I might… uh… recall something, maybe."

The hair on the back of Sasuke's neck stood up in horror at hearing the blond's suggestion, and he could do nothing but stare at him dumbfounded. He had thought that Naruto would've been disgusted to have kissed a guy before, twice no less, but now he was suggesting that they kiss again. He dumbly blinked a few times before locking eyes with his best friend. Naruto went through hell to help him out of his own darkness. He'd risked his life and sacrificed his arm for him. Now, it was his turn. Naruto needed him now. _For his sake, for his memories' sakes_ … The raven-haired shinobi swallowed thickly, "Alright."

This was wrong. It felt wrong. He could recall the times in childhood when twice their lips smacked together brutally. It had been marked down as a trauma in the files of his own mind, his pride torn to have been kissed by his dimwit teammate. How far could he go for Naruto? This whole situation was turning out to be so stupid… He, Sasuke Uchiha, was willingly waiting for his best friend to kiss him. He could feel the warm breath brushing across his face and instinctively, Sasuke leaned back to avoid it. Naruto was progressing forward slowly, certainly unsure of how he was going to go about this just as much as he was. Another breath, and something tingled down his spine. Sasuke wanted to punch him with all his might so badly. He just wished for this to be over with as fast as possible, to end the humiliation of it.

Sasuke's body tensed when he felt Naruto draw closer, hovering above him, and his heart began to beat loudly in his chest. He tightened his grip on the arm of the couch keeping his fight or flight instincts in check. This wasn't the moment to add a concussion to Naruto's already impressive list of medical problems. He prepared himself for the worst, and was surprised when Naruto's lips connected softly with his, almost hesitantly. Why was it so different from last times'? It was tender, warm, gentle. Was it because it wasn't an accident this time? Because it was a real kiss, and not just a forceful bump of the lips? It wasn't as horrible as he remembered, but it still felt wrong to be kissing his best friend. Slowly, the pressure escalated, allowing more contact, becoming more inviting. Nonetheless, the experience came to a sudden halt when a loud shriek broke over the quiet of the room.

Sakura had returned from the kitchen carrying a mug of tea for Naruto, and froze on the spot when she saw Naruto leaning over Sasuke, their lips connected in a kiss. She was completely petrified, her jaw hanging slack at the sexy image of the two most handsome men in Konoha kissing each other. Slowly, the liquid in the mug spilled to the floor at her feet without her noticing, the spectacle in front of her eyes captivating her entire focus. It was highly erotic from her perspective, Naruto dominating above and Sasuke left underneath him as he leaned back on the couch, their mouths connected sensually, their bodies enticingly close. Her fantasy pushed her further, imagining herself being trapped in the middle of them… and suddenly, it clicked. This was not a fantasy; this was happening and they were far from including her in their little make out session. Her voice teared apart their cosiness, having unwillingly escaped her throat in a strident cry. Her inner-counterpart screamed as well. _Shanarooo! I should be the one kissing Naruto! He's MY boyfriend!_

Both men turned their heads toward the girl, surprise carved over their faces. Naruto realized first what he'd been doing and what their compromising position probably looked like from an outside perspective. _Damn!_

"It's not what you think," Naruto pleaded immediately. He was so lost. Now he was embarrassed, and he still didn't have a clue of who he was. The only thing that came out of this was a further realization about Sasuke; the guy was handsome, _and_ his lips were incredibly soft. _No wonder I kissed this guy twice… Oh, shit! Sakura!_ His eyes glanced over at the woman. She was obviously shocked, her eyes wide open. He felt ashamed of himself. What type of friend was he to do this to them? Even for the sake of recovering his memories, there was no excuse. "Sorry…" he sheepishly mumbled, lowering his gaze to the floor. It wasn't enough, it shouldn't be enough.

Sasuke watched the blond's distraught expression, "Why are you apologizing? You didn't do anything wrong," the Uchiha told him, straightening himself into a more proper position. _It was humiliating, but if that's what it takes to have you remember something…_

Sakura gasped, recovering from her shock. This was it. That was why Sasuke brushed off every girl around him. He liked Naruto. It was all so clear now. All the pieces of the puzzle fit into place. Sasuke's abnormal interest in Naruto all these years, his fascination, his bond, as he called it. It was… _love_? No wonder the guy never even spared a look to all the girls throwing themselves at him. And Kami knows there was a good number of them, herself included. None of them ever even managed to get a rouse out of the man, not her, not Ino, not his other teammate, Karin – Naruto was the only one who could approach Sasuke or get a reaction from him. Her eyebrows raised in realization.

"Sasuke! You're gay?"

Sasuke spluttered, baffled that she'd even come to that idea, "We're not!"

"I know _he's_ not," Sakura stated, gesturing to Naruto, "But I never would've thought that you were."

"I'm _not_!" Sasuke replied, growing irritated, "Naruto was just trying to find something that he could use to recall a memory. He thought that maybe his first kiss could be somewhere to start," he justified.

The stare she gave him told him without words how hard she did not believe him. The Uchiha stood from his seat, holding on her gaze with defiance. Naruto looked between both of them alternatively. Was it just him, or was there some electricity in the air?

"Guys! It's my fault! I suggested it!" Naruto intervened, standing between them and breaking the heavy tension instantly, "It's all my fault," he closed his eyes, clenching his jaw and fists. If he could only remember something, he wouldn't be here, suggesting stupid things and hurting his friends' feelings. If only it wasn't all dark in his head… If only… He could feel the tears welling up behind his closed eyelids. He was so frustrated, so lost. And he didn't know where to begin to fix any of it.

As the first tear escaped, breaking slowly through his eyelashes and running quickly down his cheek, Sakura jumped forward and hugged him, encasing him with a grip he would've never imagined could come from someone of her stature. She pressed her head against his chest, hiding her own tears from his view.

"It's not your fault, Naruto," Sakura claimed, her voice trembling with remorse, guilt getting the best of her.

Sasuke sighed. He hated tears more than anything. There wasn't much that could be done. Even as an amnesiac, Naruto still carried everyone else's burdens on his shoulders. He slung an arm around the blond's neck, "It's nobody's fault. Let's just go get some ramen; you love ramen, Naruto, maybe that'll help you remember something. It's my treat, I promised it to you the other day anyway," Sasuke suggested, trying to pull them out of their gloomy moods. He patted Sakura's head faintly too, "Come on, let's do what we can to try and help him remember," he encouraged.

Sakura nodded, silently drying her eyes. Naruto watched her with concern, his face not looking much better off than hers with some tears still stuck in the corners of his eyes, his nose dripping.

Sasuke pulled a handkerchief out of his pocket and put it in Naruto's hand, "Clean yourself up a bit before we go out," the dark-haired man ordered, something that could almost be considered affectionate in his voice. Naruto forcefully blew into it, not oblivious to the disgusted expression on Sasuke's face. "Keep it," the Uchiha said with a wave of his hand when Naruto tried to hand the cloth back; by no means did Sasuke want that thing to go back in his pocket.

As they walked through the door, Sasuke leaned forward, offering his back for Naruto to climb onto. The blond hesitated, clearly embarrassed, "Is it that far? Can't we just walk there?"

"It'll be faster and safer this way," Sasuke replied expressionlessly.

Naruto studied his profile; the man didn't seem bothered by the idea in the least but… It was one thing to get a piggy back ride from your best friend, but it was another thing to do it with the best friend that you also just kissed. However, Naruto didn't have much of a choice, so he reluctantly complied and pushed away his discomfort. It didn't take long before he was completely distracted from his previous thoughts anyway as they began to jump at full speed through the air.

Sakura followed at their side, but she couldn't stop herself from staring at them. Naruto was clinging to Sasuke for dear life. It must've been frightening for someone that had no recollection of his previous ninja life to travel like that. Somehow, they were cute together. What would have happened if she hadn't interrupted them earlier? They'd both been pretty cozy looking… Would they have continued further? Well, it was easy to get lost into Naruto's touch, she would know. _What if Naruto actually falls for Sasuke? He wouldn't be the first one…_ _No, impossible! Naruto is straight for sure, there's no doubt about it. Even when he'd just woken up from his coma, he was already ogling Tsunade Shishou's breasts. On the other hand, Sasuke… He said he wasn't, but there's no proof in a simple statement._

Awkward. This was definitely awkward, Sasuke thought to himself. The whole situation was uncomfortable. He could feel Naruto's warmth seeping through the clothes on his back, his arms wrapped tightly around his neck, and his strong thighs squeezing his sides. It was edging on dreadful. The worst part of it being the side-glances that Sakura was giving every so often, with a look on her face that screamed "I knew it!". Sasuke wanted nothing more than to slap the doubtful expression off her face, to somehow prove he wasn't gay. Naruto was important to him, that was a fact, but there wasn't anything more than just that. He'd never looked at Naruto in any manner that wasn't platonic. There was no way he could even have the shadow of a thought of doing anything with a man. Ok, so he'd kissed him, but it was only to help his idiot of a best friend through a medical issue, nothing more.

Fortunately for all of them, the trip was a quick one and the group landed in front of the small ramen shop in good time. Naruto read the characters on the front board, _Ichiraku_. Just as he'd been doing ever since he'd left the hospital, the blond observed his surroundings with meticulous curiosity. Even in this part of the city, all the buildings were new, even the shop they were in front of seemed to've been put up quite recently. Made of wood, the restaurant had a homey atmosphere to it. It wasn't very big, and he could hear the happy chatter from those inside as the front was all open, with only a half-length curtains hanging from the ceiling giving some privacy to the customers inside. A row of stools were aligned in front of the bar, and judging by the number of legs he could see resting on the edges of them, the place was quite popular.

Sakura led the way into the establishment, the men following closely behind. Their entrance immediately created animation within the room, all of the clients knowing Naruto, as he was a regular of the shop. But when they tried to come and greet the blond, a dark shadow stood menacingly in front of them, stopping them without even having to utter a word. The Uchiha finally turned back to his teammates and took the last seat available on Sakura's left side, staring darkly at the pinkette, who'd placed herself in between him and the blond, and giving him no other options of where he could sit.

An old man came over to the front, smiling when he saw his favorite customer. With a loud laugh, he cheerfully greeted Naruto, who was currently trying to read the menu on the wall.

"Haha! Long time no see, Naruto! I was beginning to wonder if she'd finally tied you down to your bed," Teuchi jokingly commented, smiling at Sakura.

Naruto sent a look to the pinkette, _Tied me to my bed? What kind of relationship do I have with these two?_ he thought. _Sasuke was my first kiss, and Sakura ties me to beds… don't tell me I'm into this kind of thing. Not that I would necessarily be_ against _being tied to a bed with Sakura… maybe on top of me…_

"I haven't tied him up in years! It's been a while since the last time he tried to escape the hospital," she defended herself.

Teuchi laughed more, winking at the blond. It was their little secret that Naruto escaped every time he was hospitalized, leaving a shadow clone to fool the nurses while he had ramen at Ichiraku.

"What should I make you for your return? Your usual?" the old man suggested; Naruto just nodded, knowing that whatever his "usual" was was probably something he'd like anyway. "You too?" Teuchi asked Sakura, knowing her tastes already. She nodded, and he turned to the last member of Team Seven, "And for you?"

Sasuke sighed, he wasn't really in the mood to eat, but he looked over the menu anyway, "The special," he decided without much enthusiasm.

They waited in comfortable quiet. Sasuke, silent as usual, with his unique lack of conversation that was somehow never out-of-place, intrusive, or awkward; and Sakura too busy watching Naruto's expressions as the blond scrutinized every inch of the restaurant, searching for that thing, whatever thing was making his head feel all fuzzy. He couldn't pinpoint exactly what it was, though; maybe it was the smell of the food, or the owner's friendly attitude, but he decided he liked this place.

A couple of minutes later, a woman appeared in front of them with their food. She was just as affable and bubbly as the old man, talking to him as if she were an older sister, blabbering that the shop just wasn't the same when he wasn't around. Naruto gave her a small smile. She was nice, and exactly like the rest of the place – she was comforting. The blond made a mental note to ask Sasuke to bring him here again as he split his chopsticks to dig into his bowl. He slurped his noodles up and a dazzling smile blossomed across his face – the first real smile he'd worn since his release from the hospital.

Immediately, Sasuke and Sakura leaned in closer eagerly, "Did you remember something?" they asked in unison.

Naruto turned to face his friends and his smile grew even wider, like one of _his_ smiles, "No, but I _love_ ramen!"

 **THANK YOU FOR KEEPING ME MOTIVATED BY BEING HERE.**

 _I'm not sure if I will be able to keep the normal pace of publishing for next chapter as it is not corrected yet. (some beta drop out on last notice and another beta had to take the job on short notice. Publishing is a shitty long process as it doesn't involve only writing, but beta reader hunting, following, correcting and on and on)_

 _Thank you to all of you who have shown up for the previous chapter, I'm not out from my writer block, but at least I will try to not give up and stick around my computer every time I can. Thank you so much, you can imagine how important it is to me to have you around._


	11. Chapter 11

**THANKS TO DESCRIPTIONALIVE23 FOR BETA READING THE CHAPTER**

 _maxslayer10: yeah you're not wrong on one of you guess ;) Thank you_

 _eight heroes: thanks! I love Indonesia, people are so kind there. I've traveled through Java and Bali 3 years ago, it was great!_

 _xblackxhunterx: his memories are not damaged, but mostly inaccessible. Something is blocking them and Ino's work is to pierce through it, and indeed I have a plan about what and when he should remember. Sakura will have her method to keep Naruto safe, pretty unhanded method that I found funny to use ;) Thank you_

 _DanteAzel: thank you_

 _Uzumaki Ando Resu : There is no NaruSasu in a romantic way, but lot of NaruSasu in a brother/friend way. Sasuke have an "unnatural beauty", Naruto didn't know who he was, so he was just wondering if... (but you will see what Naruto discover about himself in this chapter hehe) thanks (update every 3-4 weeks)_

 _Touken: Yeah, I understand. I wanted at the beginning to write a long story, so with a slow development, lot of struggle and all. BUt it is still a NaruSaku, but it will show progressively. Sorry if I didn't do something to your expectation. thanks_

 _katus293: Naruto will remember slowly. Don't expect a fast recovery, it would be no fun without the struggle and misunderstood ;) thanks. Enjoy your reading_

 _RossmarieBliss: They kissed indeed, and not an accident this time. WHat make it even more traumatising for our dear Sasuke (*evil laugh*). Naruto find Sakura cute (he said so at the hospital) and she is his friend... more will come. It's a narusaku story afterall ;) thanks_

 _WindyCitySlayer1: Thanks_

 _Guest: I wish Naruto the last never existed! thanks_

 _Guest: thanks_

 _YeagerMeister31: I hope you overcome your trauma. Thanks to be here_

 _hunbun: Thank you very much, I hope you will continue to enjoy this story and you might be interested by my other stories. "How I fell in love with my best friend" and "dangerous infiltration mission"_

 _UzumakiDavis27: Thanks! I love writing misunderstanding between characters and embarrassing moments. I'm glad you liked it!_

 _sagar hussein: thanks_

 _Elarmi: He will remember slowly... but how he will react to it, it's what I find interesting. Thanks_

 _iKONO:Thank you very much for your support! I hope you will enjoy it._

 _Troa95: Yeah, it's been a while for you, I'm slow at continuing, life being very busy. but I will hang on even if I have to delay the publishing._

 _ **Chap 11: Each day is a new conquest**_

It was barely dawn when Naruto opened his eyes, and the dim rays of the sun entering his room through the window softly lit his restful face. He breathed a heavy sigh; this morning was like every other one since the accident, even with all the effort he'd put in the previous day. The same darkness was still occupying his mind, leaving him with not even an ounce of a clue as to who he was. He turned onto his side and his eyes landed on the picture of Team Seven on his bedside table. His friends. He felt guilty not being able to remember them. They were so dedicated to helping him with this mess of a situation he'd landed himself in. They'd been with him since day one, showing him around some of his supposed favorite places–but even if he really had liked the ramen and the view from Hokage Rock, nothing had managed to awaken anything in him yet.

Turning again, Naruto buried his face into his pillow, clenching hard at the edges and forcing the soft material against his face. He wanted to cry so badly, to punch something. He was beyond frustrated, feeling this powerless. He couldn't do anything by himself–not even find his own damn house in the endlessly winding streets of the village he grew up in. He needed to do something; he couldn't stay a burden to his friends forever. If his memories weren't going to come back, he could at least try to create new ones. He would try to go back to being what he was supposed to be. Even with the blackness in his head, Naruto wouldn't give up.

With his new resolution, Naruto jumped out of bed determined. Today, he would ask Sasuke to teach him how to jump again so he wouldn't have to get any more awkward piggyback rides; he would ask for a training regime, so he could regain some of his strength; and he would relearn whatever other skills he'd need to get back to normal. He would get past this. He threw the tee-shirt he'd slept in onto the bed and stood in front of his open wardrobe only clad in his underwear for the moment, deciding. Liking orange was one thing, but having all your clothes be the exact same color was another. He plunged his hands inside the closet in search for an outfit and began to fumble through the options. As he pulled out a pair of pants from the bottom of the pile, the whole stack of clothes fell to the ground, uncovering something underneath: a box at the back that'd been carefully hidden. _What would need to be hidden like this?_ Like a kid on a quest for treasure, he pulled the box out, dropping it on the floor before sitting down in front of it and lifting up the lid.

 _More orange._

The box contained only a collection of orange books. _What a let down!_ He took one of them in his hands and flipped it over. The cover was worn out and the pages were dogeared, showing the amount of love the book had once received. The author's name was... _Jiraiya._ The man on the photograph inside was old with long white hair, and he had two red marks on either side of his face under his eyes. The title of the book read _Icha Icha Make Out_. Driven by his natural sense of curiosity, Naruto opened the text to a random page and began to read. After just a few lines, he became so engrossed that many pages followed after the first, and he didn't notice the sound of the door opening beside him.

Sasuke was surprised to find Naruto awake, seeing as the blond usually stayed in bed until he dragged him out by his hair. But the fact that the other was up wasn't really the reason why Sasuke was standing frozen in the doorway; what was really bugging him was that the blond half-naked on the floor, displaying the noticeable bulge in his underwear pretty clearly to anyone who happened to walk into the room. Seeing Naruto around the house in his underwear was fairly common, but never once since they'd moved in together did he ever catch Naruto with a hard-on. Quickly, Sasuke tore away his gaze from the lewd exhibition, uncomfortable, with Sakura's accusation of his sexuality rigging in his head as he recomposed himself.

"What are you doing?" the dark-haired ninja questioned as naturally as possible. _Have some modesty, you idiot!_

Naruto lifted his head to look toward his best friend, appearing to be surprised to see him, but not seeming at all ashamed for his physical state. Then, with a very foxy grin stretched across his face, the blond waved the book in his hand, proudly displaying what it was, like it was some sort of proof of his sexual orientation.

"I have some kinky _straight_ literature here," Naruto stated cheerfully, "and a whole collection of it, too!" _I_ knew _I wasn't gay!_

Sasuke's brow twitched, "Glad to hear it. Breakfast is ready," he said flatly before closing the door behind him on his way out. The Uchiha walked down the stairs grumbling to himself, "Idiot... Do you really need _that_ to know you're straight?"

Naruto joined him in the kitchen a couple minutes later, a while tee-shirt and a pair of orange pants now covering his body. The blond, having cleared up his suspicions about his sexuality, felt as though he'd finally learned something about his former self. It felt good to have done it on his own as well, for once. Nobody told him, he figured it out by himself.

He passed an arm around Sasuke's neck with a familiarity that felt almost natural as he went by, looking down at the plates in his friend's hands.

"Oh man! You made eggs!" Naruto cheered.

Sasuke glanced at him out of the corner of his eye, letting the man's contagious smile lighten his mood a bit, "Yeah, you need the protein. You asked me to train you yesterday, remember?"

"So you're going to show me how to do the jumping thing?" Naruto questioned enthusiastically, following the other to the table.

"We'll start with the basics. I have to assess where you are first before I decide on a training program," the Uchiha explained. Naruto joyously nodded before he dug into his food.

Sasuke just watched the blond at his side for a second, not interested in the least in his cooling breakfast. He was bothered by this version of Naruto. His reactions, his expressions–even the way he talked were so different from how they used to be. It was all him, his face, his eyes, his body... he was the same and yet not at the same time. The man sitting at his side didn't know anything about them–their pain, their story, their bond. He didn't know, and at the same time, there was something behind it all; hidden somewhere inside this unfamiliar person was something invisible that connect them deeply.

"You're not hungry, Sasuke?" Naruto asked, his cheeks filled with food like a hamster's.

His musing disturbed, Sasuke looked down at his plate, "Swallow your food before talking, dammit," he rebuked like a nagging mother before beginning to eat his own breakfast. He took slow bites of his food, not feeling very hungry anymore. It was so lonely without the real Naruto there to fill the silence. He missed their talks, their competitions, and, as odd as it sounded, he even missed their fights. It was as though the man he once knew the most had become a stranger. There was no bigger sense of loneliness than to be with his best friend and to feel as if he weren't even there. But even though this Naruto may not've been the same, it was still better than not having him there at all.

Sakura chose that exact moment to come into the kitchen. As usual, she'd invited herself inside using her key. She slipped her feet into her house slippers by the door as she joined the two men at the table. Immediately, as she sat at Naruto's side so familiarly, Sasuke's frown deepened. Why was she here? He didn't need her to babysit Naruto. He was more than capable of taking care of him himself. And was it just him, or did she always seem to have her hands all over Naruto these days? He'd never noticed her being so clingy with the blond before the accident, usually she was more the fighting type. Was it just an effort to make Naruto look at her how he used to again now that he was freed from his stupid blind infatuation? To trap him again into giving all his attention to her like before? _Selfish_ _bitch!_ Naruto wasn't some dog who was just gonna follow her around forever!

"Good morning, Naruto! How are you feeling today?" Sakura asked, already passing her activated hand over Naruto's head casually.

"Oh! Hey, Sakura! I'm fine, I'm fine! Don't worry! Sasuke made me an awesome breakfast. Have you eaten yet?" he answered with his typical exuberance, letting her do her check-up as usual.

Sakura glanced to her other teammate, her doubts about him still vivid in her mind. Her night had been plagued by erotic nightmares involving Sasuke and Naruto in some… compromising situations, and she couldn't ignore the green hold of jealousy that'd been born from them.

"That was very nice of you, Sasuke," she smiled, her tone giving the words a double meaning. Her eyes were intently fixed on the handsome black-haired man; Sasuke was too sexy not be considered dangerous.

The tone and attitude she was giving him irked Sasuke to no end, his own patience wearing thin.

"Don't you have work to do? You've taken quite a long leave already," he retorted sternly.

"Tsunade-sama can take care of the hospital without me for a little while longer; besides, Kakashi-sensei told us _both_ to stay with Naruto. I am his personal doctor after all," she countered, not backing down.

"Cool! So you're staying with us today? Sasuke told me he would teach me ninja stuff," Naruto continued on in his jovial tone, not picking up on the tense atmosphere between his two teammates.

Sakura smiled sweetly at him, "I can teach you things too. You know, we used to train together all the time," she offered, not wanting to leave the two alone for too long. Sasuke's frown deepened and she held his glare defiantly, confident in her rights as Naruto's secret girlfriend to protect her boyfriend's chastity for as long as he didn't remember her.

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

After breakfast, the three headed down to the training grounds together.

Hidden away under the heavy shade of an oak tree, Sasuke leaned back against the trunk, arms crossed in front of his chest, his face impassive as he observed Sakura and Naruto from a few feet away. The pair peacefully sat in the middle of an expansive field, as if on a quiet picnic. A few rays of light pierced the foliage around them, hitting their faces and creating an intricate lace-like pattern.

Naruto couldn't quell the sense of awe he felt as Sakura explained the basics of shinobi history in a very scholarly manner. The subject of shinobi rules was boring as hell, but the blond didn't care. He was so impressed by how his teammate was able to recite all these ridiculously pompous litanies without error. She was more than just cute; Sakura was smart... and clearly deserved all his respect.

However, as much as the blond wanted to listen to her lecture, he was still unable to keep his concentration for very long, his head still fuzzy from the aftermath of his coma. Sasuke noticed Naruto's eyelids begin to droop every time Sakura diverted her attention to search in her pouch for different weapons, and decided to leave his hideout to make sure Naruto learned _something_ useful today. The blond never was much of an auditory learner; he needed to see, to touch, and to experience to learn something. Sometimes it was the harder method, but words would never get to his brain as well as practice could.

The Uchiha cut in front of Sakura, beginning his own lesson and avoiding the distraction of the glare he knew she was sending the back of his head. After a very brief explanation, worthy of the genius who never needed one, the Uchiha sent himself flying through the air with a powerful kick and a careful dexterity. Two beats of silence hung before several shurikens were thrown with a deathly precision all at once, every one striking directly in the center of the targets placed around them, leaving an astounded Naruto to clap his hands in amazement at the impressive display.

"Try it!" Sasuke demanded, handing over some shurikens to the blond.

The blond studied the object, the weight of it in his hands, the coolness of the metal against his skin. It was so foreign and yet so familiar at the same time. He wasn't afraid of getting cut by the sharp edges; the small star weapon fit perfectly in his grasp. He flicked it over and over, making it spin on his index finger. It was fascinating. It was exhilarating. He could feel the blood rush in his veins from excitement. He tried to remember the directions Sasuke had showed him while he threw it. Launching his arm in a semi-arc, he freed the shuriken from his grip at the last second and…!

 _A complete failure..._

The star weapon went in a complete different direction to what he'd expected, jabbing itself lamely into the ground. Embarrassed by his own clumsiness, Naruto laughed awkwardly, rubbing the back of his neck. He'd been confident in his aim and thought that he'd done what Sasuke had told him to. In the list of ways on how not to look cool in front of a girl, this would rank highly.

Naruto sheepishly looked toward his two friends. Sasuke unflinchingly repeated, "Again." And so the blond complied, throwing shuriken after shuriken from his pouch at the targets.

After a number of unsuccessful attempts, Sakura intervened. She had noticed the odd position Naruto was putting his body in, and his overall tensed movements. Sasuke had spotted the errors as well, but had expected the blond to realize the mistakes on his own, using the old school method of "trying something until it worked". But Sakura knew Naruto better. Naruto was stubborn, and could persist with doing the exact same thing over and over until his body collapse completely, right or not. There was nothing wrong with helping him to perfect his footing a little. As the blond prepared himself to throw his weapon, Sakura approached and stopped his hand. Gently, she placed herself behind him and adjusted the position of his torso slightly, straightening his hips to face the same way.

"Now, don't look at your hand when you throw it, look at the target," she advised while taking hold of his wrist more firmly, "and relax…" she finished in a whisper, mimicking the action with her own hand as he did his.

Naruto quivered as he felt her smaller body behind him, her hands on his. Suddenly, all his concentration vanished as the scene became the one he'd read that morning in the orange book from his closet. The main character was trying to learn something, and the girl helped him with more than just his lesson. He bite his lip in excitement, his imagination running wild. He could feel her palm against his hip, and he felt his body temperature rise a few degrees. The way her fingers caressed his skin, how she turned him around–the way her hand held his wrist and her body came so close to being pressed against his back. He wasn't far from a nose-bleed. Sakura was so desirable! Everything about her was making him go crazy! He could hear the thumping of his own heart in his ears, but also her voice, enthralling, seeping into his soul. He would let her do anything she wanted to him, a total puppet in her hands. She could tie him to a bed and spank him if she wanted to. _Maybe I'm a masochist_ , he thought as the idea further fuelled his desire. Without even realizing it, his hand followed her movement, and the shuriken hit the center of the target. He blinked, staring at it in amazement.

"Ok, you've made it once, try it on your own this time," Sasuke mindlessly interfered, earning a huff from Sakura.

She'd felt so warm next to Naruto. For a second she'd thought that he might've wanted her. There'd been something between them just then, hadn't there? It hadn't been just her own longing to touch him, right? She was quite sure that she'd felt him tremble slightly when her hand had grazed him. She wanted him, but surely not to the point of imagining things. No matter how much she wanted to hold him, her body wouldn't trick her like that. She still had some restrain. His masculine scent and tantalizing warmth weren't enough to make her lose a grip on herself, or at least she hoped so.

She kept her eyes trained on Naruto as he resumed his position. It was painful to be so isolated from him, to not have any special place in his heart anymore. It made her feel awful to be considered a stranger by the man she loved. She bit her lip, her heart clenching. Just few weeks ago, they had been so in love it was as if the rest of the world hadn't even existed. Just few weeks ago, he was all hers, he smiled at her, he loved her. Just few weeks ago… and now she meant nothing more to him than any other friend did. She wished from the bottom of her heart that he would look at her like he used to again, that he'd call her "Sakura-chan" and smile like always, to warm her frozen heart. She needed him.

Naruto turned back to face the target, his head still in his pants, and threw the star without looking at anything in particular. The shuriken flew straight toward Sasuke, and if the Uchiha hadn't had the quick reflexes he did, it would have scratched the side of his cheek. Bending his head slightly to the left to avoid the weapon, the dark-haired shinobi sighed in defeat at Naruto's lack of progress.

"Maybe we should continue with this tomorrow. Let's have a sparing match instead," Sasuke offered. The blond was too distracted to practice anything good now.

"We can spare together!" Sakura suggested, hoping to take the chance to have more moments of contact between her and the blond. She could let him get the upper hand and maybe stay wrapped in his arms a little while.

"No! No! I'll fight Sasuke!" Naruto refused. He couldn't even imagine himself lifting a hand against Sakura. She was just so small and delicate. Even if she was a ninja, there were some limits to what a man could do to a woman, and hitting her was certainly not on the list of things he could bring himself to do.

Sakura pouted dejectedly, and a small smirk graced Sasuke's features, "You've made a clever choice, Naruto. She'd certainly be able to kill you using only her pinky," the Uchiha said mirthfully, understanding the real reason his best friend chose not to fight her.

The dark-haired man crossed Sakura's path to take position in front of Naruto, patting her head semi-apologetically as he passed. Even with one of the rare and only times Sasuke had ever given her recognition, it didn't make her feel any better about being kept aside from sparring with Naruto.

The two men stood facing one another. Sasuke didn't expect much from this match, it was mostly to assess Naruto's current ability to fight. The blond took an instinctive fighting stance and screamed eagerly, "Ok! Let's begin, Sasuke! I'm ready!"

Completely relaxed, the Uchiha lifted his right hand with two fingers held up, "Hold on a second, Naruto. Before we start, shinobi have to display the sparring sign to indicate the intent to fight. When we finish, we will do the unison sign by locking our fingers together to indicate that we recognize each other as comrades and not enemies."

"I know we're friends, we don't need signs to say it," Naruto argued.

"It's tradition, Naruto. Shinobi respect the rules. Haven't you been listening to anything Sakura's said?"

"Ah… Yeah, of course…" the blond laughed clumsily, subtly looking away from the two of them, not wanting to reveal that he'd been more interested in her adorable lips than in whatever she'd been teaching, "Let's do it! Haha…"

Naruto did the sign, and Sasuke nodded, "Now we can start."

Sasuke was far too relaxed for the blond's liking. Was this guy even taking him seriously? Naruto wanted to go back to being who he was, and for that he needed Sasuke's help to become a powerful shinobi. He wanted to fight with him as equals. With all his might, the blond launched forward with a fist outstretched, which was only met with empty space as his opponent dodged the attack effortlessly. Punch, kick, strike. For a while, Naruto relentlessly attacked with as much force as he could manage, trying to increase his speed or to find an opening. But the dark-haired man didn't even put any effort into dodging the attacks, they were so easily escapable. To Naruto, Sasuke appeared as calm and composed as had been at the beginning of their match, whereas he himself was all sweaty and out of breath. It was infuriating.

"Come on, Sasuke! How can I learn anything if you don't fight me back?" Naruto whined.

"You're making progress," the other encouraged in a monotonous tone.

It only took a few more minutes of sparring before Naruto naturally slipped back into his proper fighting posture, proof that he fought more with his instinct than with concentration. Once or twice, Naruto had come close to touching him, which was quite impressive for a guy who was supposed to be a beginner. Sasuke was sure that if the blond had been able to build up his speed with chakra, he would have made a formidable opponent. But as much as he had been impressed by Naruto's fighting skills, the Uchiha didn't want to risk the blond injuring himself again. They had enough problems to manage with his amnesia, and he didn't want to add broken bones on top of that. "Let's stop here for today. It's a good start, but you need to rest," Sasuke said, extending his hand for the unison sign.

"Not now! I can still fight, I can! I swear! I want to get stronger!" Naruto yelled, frustrated.

"You're still recovering, Naruto; we'll continue tomorrow. We can work on something else instead for now," Sakura said, trying to appease him. But Naruto huffed stubbornly; he wasn't done yet. A vein popped up on Sakura's forehead. Naruto was always so reckless, never taking proper care of himself, and the childishness of it never failed to piss her off, "Make. The. Unison. Sign. Now, Naruto!" The way she punctuated each word to get her point across clearly, the tone of her voice when she uttered his name, and the creepy smile spread across her face made Naruto comply without a second thought.

"Ok, ok! I'm done!" he quickly extended his hand and shook Sasuke's fingers. "All good, see? Hehe…" the blond said hastily, hiding behind Sasuke as a safeguard.

"Man! How can a girl that cute be that scary?" the blond mumbled to his friend.

"You shouldn't get her seriously angry if you want to live," Sasuke advised.

Sakura crossed her arms, a pout on her face. She didn't want to have to be rough with Naruto, but someone had to make him see reason, otherwise he would've continued on until he collapsed.

"Have you finished with your little chat?" Sakura grumbled, somewhat hurt that Naruto seemed to be closer to Sasuke than her.

Naruto nodded vigorously, heeding Sasuke's advice to keep Sakura in good mood. She nodded, pleased, and relaxed her posture to continue in a more teacher-like tone, "We'll teach you about chakra next; it's a ninja's basic source of power," she said, enjoying the eager smile blossoming on Naruto's face. "Molding and controlling chakra is essential. To explain it simply, there are two sources of energy: physical energy, which your body's cells create naturally, and spiritual energy, which can be intensified through training and experience. Ninjas use both types of energy together by morphing specific hand signs to form jutsu." With one glance at Naruto, Sakura noticed that his smile was beginning to falter. _Better make this short._ "First, you need to try to feel the energy within you. Close your eyes and press your hands together in a prayer position to summon your chakra," she explained while demonstrating the movement.

Doubtfully, Naruto did the same, not really convinced that anything could come out of it. He closed his eyes, focusing on his inner world. In an instant, calmness washed over him, and as simple as the technique seemed to be, his body remembered exactly what to do. With a clap of his hands, a burst of energy flooded his chakra system, surprising him with its intensity. "Whaaaoo! Katra is cool!" Naruto exclaimed, opening his eyes and releasing the sign.

"Chakra!" Sakura corrected.

"Yeah, Chatra!" Naruto repeated again, wrongly.

Both Sasuke and Sakura sighed. Some things never changed. Fortunately, it seemed that Naruto's body had a better memory than his mind did at the moment, and was able to keep up with techniques involving strength, stamina, and chakra molding. Things were looking promising. They just needed to give the blond the basics he needed to bring back him to a level where he could actually use his skills.

However, as basic as the sequences of hand signs were, teaching an amnesic turned out to be more challenging than they'd imagined, putting to light just how much effort Naruto had put into getting to the level of skill he had before his injury. Naruto was no genius, but he was a hard worker. So for a while, Sakura, more used to teaching as she occasionally taught nin-medic students, supervised Naruto's movements, showing him how to do each sign and explaining which jutsu they were for. If Sakura was being honest, she was quite enjoying this session, taking every opportunity she could to engage in some sort of contact with the blond, her hands lingering a little longer on his when she finished correcting the position of his fingers, or fixing things he would've figured out on his own anyway. It wasn't much, but it made her feel closer to him. Naruto's attention was always on her, and he smiled clumsily whenever he got a sequence wrong, thanking her when she helped him. She would've loved to've kept on going, but Naruto's stomach pointed out that it was already lunch time.

Naruto mentally cursed his body for interrupting such a pleasant moment. He'd been enjoying Sakura's tutoring. She was so gentle with him, so patient. He loved her touch, her fingers on his skin, her warm palms against his hands when she was holding them in hers, telling him to keep up the sign until the end of the jutsu. He loved her voice, her gaze on him–even her frown when he purposely made the same mistake twice just to be corrected again. Sakura was beautiful. The more he looked at her, the more he was entranced by her. She was so smart, so strong, and so gentle at the same time. All he wanted was to run his fingers through her silky pink hair, to caress her soft skin. And when she smiled–holy gods in heaven! He knew they must've lost an angel on earth. It was true that she was sometimes frightening, but somehow, he knew that all her admonitions were for his own good. Sakura was just so... so... so loveable! So why was it that Sasuke always seemed to be angry with her?

Naruto was so lost in his thoughts walking away from the training grounds that he didn't notice a brunette running towards him.

"Naruto-sama!" the girl cheerfully called to him, waving her hand and smiling elatedly. She'd been passing the training grounds when she'd spotted her blond hero. It'd been so long since she'd seen him, considering hospital visits had been restricted. She was so happy that she didn't notice the two other people accompanying him, her eyes on him only.

Naruto glanced curiously at the newcomer. He'd never seen her face before, and it was still disturbing to be known by someone seemingly well when he had no recollection of them. She looked friendly and so happy to see him, but Kakashi had told him not to tell to people that he was an amnesic, and to always stay with Sasuke and Sakura. How should he react? Was he supposed to pretend like he knew her?

"Hello!" he greeted simply, not sure about what to do next, how his previous self would've acted.

"Naruto-Sama, are you well? I heard that you were in the hospital and I was so worried about you!" the girl told him, batting her eyelashes suggestively while she blatantly advertised her generous cleavage right under his nose.

Naruto's eyes instinctively lowered to the nice view. She had such nice, round breasts. It wasn't completely his fault that his gaze got lost there, seeing as the girl was purposely bending forward to make herself more visible.

"I'm better now…" the blond answered, blushing slightly and rubbing the back of his neck, troubled by her obvious flirting.

"I'm so glad, Naruto-Sama! If you need me, I would be more than happy be your nurse," she proposed, her voice turning more sultry.

 _Is she_ actually _coming onto me? She's nothing compared to Sakura's beauty, but man! She's throwing herself at me! Is it ok for me to respond to any of this?_ Naruto thought.

As the girl extended her arm to touch the blond's chest, a firm hand grabbed her wrist, stopping her from moving any closer. "Keep your hands off of him," Sasuke growled menacingly. This girl had been a continued nuisance for a while now, coming by their house again and again no matter what they told her. She was such a gold digger, only wanting Naruto for his title of future Hokage. He found her disgusting.

Naruto stared at his best friend, confused by his protective stance in front of him. The blond hadn't even seen his friend move, he was so fast. The jinchuuriki opened his mouth to say that he really didn't mind this girl talking to him when Sakura intervened too.

"Stop stalking Naruto! He already told you the last time that he wasn't interested; which part of that didn't you understand?" she said firmly, stepping forward to be at the blond's side.

"Did I?" Naruto questioned, dumbfounded, the words coming out of his mouth without him realizing it. _Why would I say that to a very inviting girl when I was single?_ A chill ran down his spine as the pinkette turned her glare onto him. In that moment, he knew he'd said something terribly stupid, so he bit his tongue.

"Sakura-san!" the girl uttered the name of the powerful kunoichi with fear in her tone. This wasn't their first confrontation. She had unfortunately already met the famous head medic one morning at Naruto's house, receiving a stern warning from the woman to not come anywhere near him anymore. She'd been scared that day, but the way the green-eyed glower pierced her with such intensity was somehow even more threatening now. The near unbelievable rumors of the woman's ability to crack the earth open with just a finger made her legs shake uncontrollably. "I'm sorry! I won't bother him again! I just… I… You know… wanted to help him…" the girl stuttered, taking a step back. "Well… haha… So… get well soon, Naruto-sama! See you!" she called before sprinting off in the other direction.

"You can be quite handy Sakura," Sasuke commented, pleased with her ability to get results. He would have like the pinkette more when they were kids if she'd been as fearsome as she was now; it would've come in handy with chasing away all those annoying fangirls.

Sakura lifted her nose up proudly and pulled along her amnesiac boyfriend as she walked, "Let's get Naruto fed before we go to the hospital. We've wasted enough time with unnecessary nuisances today."

XXXXXXXX

 _Author Note:_

 **INSULT BRING NOTHING GOOD!**

 **It does not define who I am but it give an idea of how you behave.**

 _You will not have my hatred. I am a true believer in kindness, and I prefer to think that your anger is more based on misunderstanding than a really rotten core._

 _I accept your thoughts, if you give me any constructive comment, I will try my best to improve. But I will be blind and deaf to empty words as I refuse to be hurt just to satisfy any sadistic purpose._


	12. Chapter 12

**_THANK TO ZERO 10 FOR BETA READING THE CHAPTER_**

 _Hennessyswagg83: Thank for your comment, as I said before in the summary and at the beginning of the first chapter of this story, it is a NaruSaku story. So there will be Sakura being one of the main protagonist. I hope I will still be able to make you enjoy the story even if Sakura irritate you lately._

 _kevin . duarte 2000: Being a NaruHina doesn't mean that Naru other pairing are no good. I particulary dislike NaruHina but enjoy if the story is interesting enough. I hope you will still like it. Thank you_

 _xblackxhunterx: you will have to find out to know what was my plan. But it is a slow development story, so it might not be drama in every chapter, but I hope you will enjoy how I built up stuffs. Thank you very much for your support._

 _Yojimbra: It is a nice vision... but you will have to be patient to arrive to that point. Thank you for being here._

 _eight heroes: Thank you! I hope I will be able to come back again_

 _WindyCitySlayer1: Thank you!_

 _Mdhunter: Thank you very much, I hope you will like the next._

 _Guest:Thank you_

 _Assassin XP2: Thank you I hope you will continue to like it_

 _YeagerMeister31: Thank you for your support!_

 _Uzumaki Ando resu: Thank you, I hope you will continue to like it!_

 _katus293: I will try to release more often, but the chapter will be shorter. Thank you for your support!_

 _Merchant of Blue Death: Thank you for being here, as fellow author I appreciate your opinion._

 _hunbun: Thank you very much!_ am glad that you liked their sparring, there will be more and more training to come. I hope you will like it

sagar hussain: Thank you

Naru285: Enjoy how he is recovering his memories and the effect of them. :) thank you to be here

iKONO: Thank you so much for your support! I hope I will not disappoint you and that you will continue to like it.

 ** _THE CHAPTERS WILL BECOME SHORTER TO HAVE SLIGHTLY MORE FREQUENT RELEASED_**

 ** _NARUSAKU pairing, Team 7 friendship_**

 ** _Thank you for your support!_**

 ** _XXX_**

 ** _Chap 12: Open the door of hell (part 1)_**

Naruto dragged his feet in the long white, clean corridor. He didn't really want to come back to the hospital, so much that the smell in there urged him to make a break for it. He would have preferred to train with his friends instead.

There was nothing but this terrible darkness in his head. They have tried to ask him to concentrate his name many times, and it didn't work. But Sakura insisted, two jade pearls watched him intently, and he couldn't refuse those beautiful eyes pleading him to remember. He had tried to please her at least. He entered the room alone as his friends waited outside. Ino, as she had presented herself, was already waiting for him on a high stool.

"How are you today Naruto? Did you made some progress with your memories going back to your house?"

Naruto flopped down, sitting on the table in front of the sexy, blond woman. "Nothing."

"Come on, Naruto! Be more enthusiastic! I'm sure something should have happened."

The jinchuriki thought hard. In past 24 hours, a lot happened in fact. He had kissed Sasuke, but he wasn't going to confess this to anyone. Sakura finding 'em was embarrassing enough. They went to the ramen shop. Ramen was nice. He found a kinky collection of books, that too, he shouldn't tell to a girl. He trained with his friends, and he felt somewhat very close to Sakura, but maybe he shouldn't tell it as liking your best friend ex-girlfriend wasn't something to be proud of. Naruto nodded, settling on Ramen. "We ate Ramen! Ramen was nice!"

"Ramen? Yeah, you do love ramen." Ino approved. Everybody knew how much Naruto loved ramen. This could work. "Try to think of ramen and what you felt eating it. Ok?"

Naruto nodded and closed his eyes as he was instructed for whatever she was doing. _Ramen. Ramen. Ramen_. He repeated in his mind. _Ramen is tasty. Ramen is warm. Ramen…_

Ino entered the realm of his mind. This same darkness, not a trace of anything in this absolute nothingness. She sauntered around, pushing those imaginary dull obstructions with her power. She smiled a little for herself, hearing the echoes of his thoughts. _Ramen._ _Ramen_. _Ramen._ This was so like Naruto to react to something like that. With the number of times the guy ate at Ichiraku, ramen must be engraved into his every cell.

She waited for his next thought, trying to synchronize her power with it. _Ramen is tasty_. It was hard to guess where to focus, to know where to hit to have an impact on these walls. There was absolutely no landmark, no reference at all. It was dark. Devoid of everything. Desolated. Staying in here was leaving her with such a sick feeling, it was suffocating. She felt sorry for Naruto who lived with it every day.

Another wave of thought was arriving and Ino prepared herself. _Ramen is… warm._ This wasn't a thought that she glimpsed, but an emotion. A tiny, fleeting, small spark. A firefly dancing jovially in an absolute darkness. She pursued it, not letting it escape. It flickered dangerously, frail but an inconstant breeze of hope. The light faded, and she increased her power, reaching for it with all her might to pass through the darkness. It vanished, and left silence. The same deafening silence. The same void, bleak space without border. Torturous loneliness. Ino breathed heavily. She had tried all she could, and she could feel the despair of this place eating away her energy. She fell on her knee. She couldn't do anything for Naruto, the person who have always protected them all.

A discreet crackling sound attracted her attention as she raised her head. As quiet as it was, it could have been a thunderstorm compare to this ocean of silence. She waited, praying, hoping, hitting blindly in the darkness toward the direction of the sound. It shook. It intensified. And, light came out. It unfolded short sequences of images, broken souvenirs, turning in circle in a confused pattern. There was neither logic to them, nor direct connection to each souvenir. They were just a succession of images, sound, smell, emotions. It was an emotion, just one which have found its place in the warm inviting smile of Teuchi.

Ino witnessed, tears flooding her eyes as images of Naruto's past, images of his childhood that she never knew existed rolled in front of her. She never understood him, she never tried before. The boy was always smiling. How could she have known that he was keeping _that_ inside. She couldn't move, she couldn't tear her eyes away from the spinning souvenirs. Hundreds of short moments were released. Ino recognized the one related to ramen. Naruto must have been three or four years old only. She was seeing through his eyes. Feeling through his heart. The boy had been hungry, half hiding at the entrance of the ramen shop. He was freezing, the rain was pouring on him, his drenched clothes sticking to his small body. The boy saw the man looking at him and he was scared, ready to run away. But Teuchi – infamous for his kindness – called the kid inside and offered him a bowl of ramen. This was it. This warm feeling. Naruto was moved to tears. Ino only able to see his small hands that was covered in scratches, and some drops of water falling on them while he ate his noodles. What she didn't know was that this bowl of ramen was the first act of kindness the little Naruto had experienced.

It was only after watching the other fragments that she understood how these unconnected memories have bundled together. Naruto have compensated a huge load of pain with a single warm feeling. That ramen bowl had been the anchor for his hope to face the hardship of his life, the sweet souvenir followed by a bunch of dark one, all more and more horrible. The Yamanaka heiress gasped seeing an old woman throwing a bucket of cold water on the young Naruto, screaming at him. "Get away Monster!" The young Naruto shaking his head, his sight blurred with tears. Ino was able to see his small fists trembling as he looked at his feet, and she heard his voice, a trembling voice, mumbling for himself. "Why?"

The worst was that this old woman had been just one of those tormentors. Others, many in fact, belonging to all genders and ages abused Naruto. He was barely knee-high to a grasshopper, and he had been kicked away, pushed around, avoided like a plague. The hatred in those glares he received, the disgust in those eyes haunted the small boy forever. Ino couldn't count how many times the boy was thrashed, and that cursed word always stuck to him in his solitude. "Monster!"

 _How traumatizing for such a young child._

Ino witnessed Naruto's eyes when he once looked at himself in a mirror. It was so lonely. He was treating his wound, his tiny fingers clumsily fixing a band aid on his cheek. He was crying, alone in his dark room. Nobody was there to help him. Nobody cared for him. "Why?" The child asked to his reflection. The little body trembled, the boy shutting his eyes close, restraining his tears. "Why do they hate me?"

Adults weren't the only one at fault, and Ino felt her throat tightening with guilt. They were all equal participant in his pain, all the kids their ages refused to play with him, pushed him away, talked behind his back. Ignoring him. Abandoning him. Not giving him a chance to be close to anyone. They didn't know why, but they mimicked the attitude of their parents. He was left all alone on the playground, ostracized by others.

The images rolled in circle, suffocating her with their cruelty. She couldn't continue to watch them, she couldn't even breathe in there. Ino released her jutsu, leaving the realm of his mind to escape into the real world. She opened her eyes, freeing her tears as she did so. Naruto hadn't move from his position but his face was crunched in a sad expression, his own tears flooding past his closed eyelids. He may not have realized it himself, caught up in his souvenirs. Ino hiccupped, clasping her hands to her mouth to muffle a sob, watching the man's face. Where did he find the will to protect them all? Why? After all he went through... after all those hatred... where does he find all his kindness? They have treated him so poorly, and they have so harshly condemned him. How could he have forgiven them all?

Ino launched herself at his neck, holding him into a tight hug. "I'm so sorry!" She cried. "S-So sorry!" Of what was he made to have lived through that and still retained a smile on his face?

Naruto surprised by the impact opened his eyes. It was like waking up from a horrible nightmare. What was it? His feelings? His childhood? He was still confused, the unload of images and emotions leaving him with a nauseating sensation. He inhaled deeply, returning back to reality, and noticed the girl around his neck. She was crying. _Why?_ Gently, he wrapped his arms around her and patted her back, unsure of the cause. Was he the reason? Naruto had absolutely no clue of the situation. He thought hard, trying to figure out the problem. They were doing their usual 'treatment' session. He thought about ramen as was told to. Then, all those painful memories submerged his consciousness, as if the cage of his past has broken? His past... those broken sequence were _his_ memories... he remembered them more clearly. The nauseous feeling building more as they were more vivid now.

Ino let him go and took a step back, ashamed of herself. She was supposed to be a professional and she was the one being consoled by the man who needed it the most. She wiped her tears, recomposing herself. Naruto didn't make any eye contact with her, his facial muscles all tensed. For a long moment, she didn't dare to speak, as she observed him in thick silence. His gaze was lost with the same demeanor that she had witnessed into his memories: sadness, loneliness, pain. She knew he needed time, and those were quite a nasty load of memories to digest, but what she couldn't do as a child, for selfish and ignorant as she was then, she could do as an adult now.

Hesitantly, Ino extended her hand slowly, and solicitously caressed his larger hand. "Do you want to talk?" She asked kindly, but he shook mutely his head. "I'm sorry!" She continued, not knowing what to do in this situation where she was completely unqualified.

Naruto shifted slightly, his gaze lifting toward her. "For what?" He asked, not understanding the reason behind her apology.

 _Those blue eyes!_ He wasn't angry at her, nor at others. He was just that sad. Naruto was just lost and confused. "I saw them too you know. My jutsu actually released them. I was there with you when they appeared in your mind."

"Hmm..." Naruto lowered his gaze again on the ground, ashamed that those moments didn't stay secret, buried away from the sight of all. Would she hate him too, like all those people? "So, you saw..." Naruto simply stated, preparing to leave.

"Naruto wait!"

Naruto pause at the door, not looking at her. "I think I have seen enough too."

Ino sighed as she watched him leave the treatment room. She was so helpless that she couldn't do anything for him. She has unintentionally unlocked that cage of nightmare, and he was the one on the receiving end now.

XXXXXXXXXX

Sasuke glanced to his side as he heard the door open. Even he was surprised to see Naruto out so early, but didn't show any sign of it on his face. Generally, each session last around couple hour, but today it barely been past fifteen minutes. The blond didn't make any eyes contact with him. He just stepped out, his head hanging low, and quietly addressed him.

"I'm not feeling that good... I'm going home, Sasuke."

Sasuke didn't object. As eloquent as always, a simple grunt signaled the dark-haired man acceptance, as Sasuke tagged along Naruto.

A bright blue sky greeted them as they passed the hospital door, contrasting so much against the clouds filling Naruto's gaze. Sasuke observed Naruto for an instant. After teaching Naruto, how to enhance his jumps with Chakra, Sasuke thought that he wouldn't have to carry the blond around anymore. But the blond appeared so apathetic that the Uchiha wondered if it was really safe to let him go by himself.

"Do you want me to carry you? We could be home faster." Sasuke suggested.

Naruto shook his head, continuing his steps. "I would rather have you stay to tell Sakura that I left for home."

Sasuke ground his teeth in annoyance. _Sakura. Sakura. It was always all about Sakura._ "She's a big girl. She will figure out by herself that we left. Ino could tell her as well."

At the mention of Ino's name, Sasuke noticed a shudder pass on Naruto's spine, and the blonde burying it as fast as possible, stuffing his throat with whatever wanted to come out of it.

 _Nope... Naruto was really in no shape to be left alone._

Naruto was pale, but still refused when Sasuke insisted to carry him. Naruto took off, jumping on his unsteady legs, lost, tormented by those images repeating as a never-ending cycle in his mind. More than once, the blond failed his landing on the rooftops, nearly toppling over, if not for Sasuke reaching out for him each time.

They didn't talk down their way back home, nor when they reached the place. Naruto simply faced him as he took off his shoes to inform him that he was going to rest in his room. Silence. Sasuke watched the retreating back of Naruto as he climbed up the stairs. He didn't like much the atmosphere around his best friend. Even if he had absolutely no idea of what was going on in the blond's head, he could sense that something wasn't right. As different as this Naruto was from real Naruto, there were things in common and he knew that look. He knew those eyes better than anyone. Sasuke quickly finished tiding their shoes, and went toward the blond's room.

Not waiting for an answer, Sasuke entered the room after a polite knock on the door. Naruto was lying on his side, immobile, facing opposite to him. The blond didn't react, but Sasuke could see that he wasn't sleeping. Without a word, Sasuke sauntered forward and sat on the edge of the bed. For a while nothing changed between them. Naruto closed his eyes to refrain the tears from flowing out, while Sasuke pretended to not notice. None of them moved. Each one facing opposite. Finally, Naruto curled up a little bit more, hunching his back and folded his arms close to his chest. His left hand scrunched into a fist as if to control and not break down.

"I don't really want to talk now, 'ttbayo." Naruto said with a tired voice, not realizing his quirk of speech.

Sasuke jolted from hearing that habit of speaking of the blond. Oddly, he had missed it. That little word was part of Naruto. It was nearly a signature. It drew a smile on the Uchiha's face, feeling closer to have his friend back as he guessed that Naruto have remembered something. However, he knew the price which was associated with Naruto's souvenirs. The loneliness, the pain from his past. He didn't need to talk or look at his memories to know how hurt the blond was, the look in those blue eyes already explained everything. Sasuke didn't move, letting his friend retain his dignity.

"I didn't come to talk." The raven-haired man answered soberly. It was just like Sasuke, an efficient statement, without emotion, nor niceties, but more importantly no pity.

However, the answer surprised the blond, and prompted him to shake himself off from his lethargy to look at the man behind his back. Sasuke was sitting straight in his unshakable phlegm, arms crossed in front of his chest, his eyes staring into some imaginations. Naruto blinked, chasing the tears out of his eyes to be able to see through the blur.

"What else are you here for if not to talk?" Naruto managed to ask, curiosity gnawing at him.

"To stay with you." Sasuke admitted, feeling embarrassed to say it out loud. Turning slightly his torso to have a glance above his shoulder, their eyes met. There was so much hurt hidden inside those blue orbs, so many things that Naruto was keeping to himself. The dark-haired man reached out to his best friend and gently poked his forehead. "You don't have to be alone." Sasuke said with his usual apparent stoicism, turning back to face the door.

They didn't need to talk, being together was enough.

Naruto relaxed, lying back again on his side. Even with the images invading his brain and torturing him, being with Sasuke made it feel more bearable. The nausea was still here, the dreadful emotions still heavy on him. But with this presence by his side, he felt as if all of it was just a nightmare and that he would wake up from it soon. He wasn't alone, and that was what mattered the most.

After another half hour of lavishing silence and stillness, Naruto decided that he was in control enough to open his mouth again. "Thank you." It seemed to came out of nowhere, like a drop of a rock in still water.

"Hmm." Sasuke let out a grunt, not elaborating more, but secretly touched by the gratitude of the blond.

Few more minutes passed without further interaction, both of them still with their back to each other. Naruto traced imaginary lines on his pillow with his finger, fascinated by this useless task. He was searching his words, a way to express what he was feeling.

"Hey Sasuke." He began, still unsure of himself.

"Hmm?"

"I was happy when you told me that you're staying with me..." Naruto paused, hesitant. He wrote the letters of the word refusing to leave his tongue, drawing the kanji to form the word 'Brother'. At the last stroke ending the symbol, he finally uttered it. "It was like having a brother with me."

A burst of warmth invaded the Uchiha's chest. _Brother_. This was exactly what they were. They were brothers, and Naruto had so genuinely accepted him. This feeling toward him, this attachment... it was their bond. How such a simple word could change the perspective of everything. He, too, wasn't alone. As long as Naruto was with him, he has a family. A small smile blossomed on Sasuke's face, which he hastily hided with a seemingly trivial movement of his hand, a small blush following in suit. _Brother_. They were brothers in all but in blood.

"Yeah, we are brothers." Sasuke affirmed, trying not to let pass his happiness.

Sakura finished taking care of some administrative related problems with Tsunade, and returned back to the examination room where she had left Naruto. A frown crossed her visage as she noted Sasuke's absence. It was unusual. She didn't expect her teammate to leave his spot. Maybe he just answered a call of nature. After a light knock on the door, she entered in the room to check up on Naruto, and instead was greeted by another sight. The head medic blinked. The man was blond indeed, but it was certainly the only common feature he shared with Naruto. Sitting on the examination table, shirtless with an evident fatness around the belly, the middle-aged man was nothing close to the handsome jinchuriki.

Sakura immediately questioned the nin-medic present. "What happened to the previous patient?"

"He left a while ago with his companion. Yamanaka-san had then freed the examination room for us to use it." The medic answered politely to his boss.

"Why nobody informed me?" Sakura grunted in annoyance, irritated to have been left out not only by Sasuke, but by Naruto and Ino as well.

"Yamanaka-san left a message for you at the nurse office, she wasn't feeling well. I think she directly went back home after finishing with her patient."

Sakura huffed, closing the door behind her, and stomped off to the nurse office. "You have a message for me!"

The young nurse in charge of the reception desk, blanched at the visible pissed off face of the head medic. She immediately pulled out an envelope from a drawer and handed it to her boss, bowing deeply in apology. "You were busy with Tsunade-sama. I didn't want to bother you during your work." The woman explained, her head still down in hope to escape the storm unpunished.

It was a fact. Sakura always insisted to not be bothered during work for trivial messages left by Ino. But today, it wasn't about their usual meet-up. It was about Naruto. She sighed deflated. There was no point in indignance, and instead quickly opened the letter.

It was a short message. Ino didn't went in details of the session, bound by the code of confidentiality. Ino had only mentioned of a breach in Naruto's memories, and that he went back with Sasuke. She added at the bottom of her message that Naruto would be certainly feeling down, not saying if it was because of the jutsu or of what he found out. Sakura folded back the letter and kept it in her pocket. She was preoccupied by the last message, and decided to head directly to Naruto's house.

 **PLEASE DO NOT FORGET TO REVIEW**


	13. Chapter 13

**THANKS TO ZERO 10 for beta reading the chapter**

 _katus293 : thank you for your support_

 _guest: there will be romance, but his friendship with sasuke is really important in this story. thank you_

 _naru285: I wanted his first souvenir to be meaningful. explaining through his memories how he became who he is. But I guess I won't develop the story as I planned it at first and shorten it. Thank you for your support. it is really important to me._

 _Troa95: You already know that I would have give up long time ago without you. Thank you_

 _rosaaerith: sakura arrive in the next scene. But Sasuke is quite present in this story as a friend._

 _YeagerMeister31: thank you to be here!_

 _Lakouchka: Je te remercie de venir me chercher ici. J'ai arrete perdre et trouver depuis si longtemps que j'en ai perdu le gout. Mais pour un instant, en toute honneteté j'ai pensé arreter mes autres projets pour la reprendre. Ton interet ma fait chaud au coeur. Merci beaucoup! Si j'ai encore la motivation d'écrire apres cette fiction, j'essayerai de reprendre._

 _Donthedarkdragon26: Thank you! I hope you will continue to support the chapters and that you will continue to enjoy the story. While waiting for the chapter to be updated, I have 2 other naruto stories : "How I fell in love with my best friend"and "Dangerous infiltration mission"_

 _iKONO: I love my reader who support me too. Thank you so much to be here_

 _Zue Watanabi: You're lucky you don't have to wait for long today. ;) Thank you for your support! It's really important for me._

 **CHAP 12 (part 2)**

The pinkette entered the house to find the lounge empty, even so she was sure of their presence as she noticed theirs shoes still in the cabinet. She climbed up the stairs, and stopped at the top, shocked of hearing Sasuke's laugh. It was a rare occurrence. Hell, it was nearly inconceivable. Stealthily, she approached Naruto's door to eavesdrop on their conversation.

"Man! It's unfair!" That was Naruto.

"Come on! Take position Naruto... a loss is a loss!"

"Why is it always me at the bottom?"

Sakura gasped, an image very close of her erotic nightmare involving Sasuke and Naruto popped in her head. Discreetly, she slightly opened the door to steal a glimpse, her hands shaking at the possibility of witnessing Naruto and Sasuke's sexual intercourse.

Sasuke's voice made her jolt in surprise. "If you want to spy on us, you should conceal yourself more Sakura... we are both too skilled to pass with just some basics techniques."

She was found out. There was no meaning to hide. Sakura opened the door, exposing herself to the two guys. Sasuke was sitting cross legged on top of Naruto's back while the blond was doing some push-ups, a set of cards scattered around them.

"I wasn't spying!" She lied. "I didn't want to wake up Naruto if he was asleep."

"Oh! Hello Sakura! Sorry to not have waited for you!" Naruto greeted her, continuing his set rapidly.

Sasuke smirked aware of the fake excuse. He could have sold her out, but he was in a pretty good mood. His five-consecutive victories against his _brother_ , being part of the reason; the other part being Naruto's uplifted spirit as well. Naruto had asked to play something to divert his mind, and Sasuke recommended this as they used to do... and it worked. They were having fun. Naruto completely forgot that he regained his lost memories. Things were alright then.

Naruto completed his last rep, and sat back cross legged on the floor, once Sasuke took back his place. Sakura came closer to them and sat folding her legs graciously underneath her. "Can I play with you?" She asked, her eyes furtively studying Naruto.

"Ah, yeah... but," The blond scratched his cheek. "Ya know...the forfeit if you lose is to do fifty push up." Naruto expressed his reserves, implying that he doubted it to be an acceptable forfeit for a delicate woman like Sakura.

Sakura's eyebrow twitched at his doubt. Who did he think she was? It was absolutely nothing for a shinobi like her. But more over – did he really think she would lose against them? "Oh? You're right!" She feigned approving his reticence. "Let's make it more interesting! The one who lose have to take off one clothe..." She suggested, a small smirk creeping onto her lips.

Both the guys were dumbfounded. Without thinking Naruto nodded vigorously, while Sasuke scrutinized her warily.

Her green gaze locked with the black pearl in defiance. "Afraid?" She teased.

The Uchiha frowned.

"So, are you up?" She kept poking his pride.

"No problem with me." The sharigan user accepted the challenge. If it comes to her stripping down afterward, he wouldn't care less.

Sakura offered her hand with elegant gestures for the pack of cards, and then expertly shuffled the playing card like a real professional under the astounded eyes of the two men. Naruto was amazed by her dexterity, while Sasuke understood immediately that they have been fooled. Sakura smirked, hitting the pack on the ground with a certain confidence, and dealt the card at an incredible speed. She had been the pupil of the biggest gambler of Konoha, and the biggest loser as well, so she somehow learned how to gain back Tsunade's debt, playing all types of cards game to retrieve her master from casino for her training from time to time.

Let's say that the party ended pretty quickly, with the two men down to their underwear, while she didn't even have to take off her headband. Her complete victory, and the view of their athletic bodies an appreciable bonus.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

The night was calm. Shikamaru enjoyed the quietness of the deserted street, after his long day at work. Most of the shops were closed. The few still open were those of the rare late-night restaurants and bars. The strategist yawned, stretching his arms above his head, his jaw hanging low and his mouth wide open. Being the Hokage's assistant was such a drag, but the job was worth it. It helped to prepare him to support Naruto when he would get the title.

 _Naruto_.

He didn't get much the chance to spend some time with him, the work being more hectic than ever with team seven unavailable for important missions.

Shikamaru lit up a cigarette, and inhaled deeply. He felt guilty to not have faced the blank gaze of the amnesic blond in two days, carefully hiding behind a mountain of paperwork at his desk. But it was such a shock when Kakashi broke the new. Even more when he witnessed it for himself, when they had to be re-introduced again as if they had never met before. Watching the most confident idiot in the world forcing an insecure smile while saying his own name, as if he was unsure that he got the right one, was kind of frustrating.

The strategist took a long drag on his cigarette at the remembrance of their encounter at the hospital. He was so mad, so mad. Naruto was supposed to become Hokage in one year only to achieve his dream. Naruto didn't deserve that to happen when he was this close to his goal. The village needed him and his goofiness. Naruto's unbreakable hope and his Will of Fire were the pillars to inspire future generation. It was so ironic. Naruto was even more promising than the Fourth Hokage. He was supposed to surpass them all, and here they were... back to the starting point where the man didn't know his own name. It was so frustrating to be powerless, to only receive the same report day after day from the hospital of the lack of progress.

Shikamaru scrunched the bead of his cigarette under his feet, and pushed open the door of one of the only bar still lit up at this ungodly hour. He needed a drink to chase his dark thoughts away. The door creaked as it slid on its rail. The place was almost empty. The bartender was tirelessly drying the last glass in front of the lonely customer, resting her elbows on the bar.

His instinct told him to run away as he wasn't spotted yet. 'Troublesome' was clearly the way to qualify such an occurrence. He would if only she hadn't turned around to acknowledge a potential drinking partner. Her glossy baby blue eyes met his bored one, and he was done for. Impossible to leave without receiving a bitter sermon as she had recognized him.

Ino patted the stool at her side with her perfectly manicured hand, and he got no other choice than to take it. The woman was too scary to not comply to her demand, whatever it was. Shikamaru walked slowly like a person sentenced to death. He was quite sure that Ino was drunk, the abandoned bottles of sake aligned in front of her screaming of problems. His hand grazed the rough surface of the wood, feeling under his fingers the unpolished material of the stool, and then pulled it a little to sit. His back hunched, even before the confrontation. With one hand, he called the bartender, his eyes silently pleading the man to hurry up as that he could leave as soon as he is done.

From his peripheral vision, he glanced cautiously at the woman at his side, and adopted a strategy of silence, after commanding a beer. He wasn't in the mood to hear her hypothetical non-nonsensical talk about the lack of young men good enough nowadays for a woman of her caliber. He could agree that she was indeed gorgeous, smart, and scary, scary being the most important point here. Actually, all the women around him shared this same adjective: Ino, Sakura, Tenten and even Temari who wasn't from their village. There was no way in the world, a man in his right mind would want to get tied up for life to one of them. He secretly hoped that he could escape unscathed from this encounter, and warily observed the woman helping herself another cup of sake.

Ino was beautiful in everything she did, even drunk, she retained this refined attitude of her. Her gestures were slow and elegant. She applied in every aspect of her life the secret beauty of a master ikebana*, mixing fineness to her exquisite appearance to entrap any man with her charm. In reality, she never lacked of suitors to adore her, but those didn't count for her. She wanted one who could match her beauty. Shikamaru snorted, taking a first sip of his freshly arrived beverage. _Good luck finding one._

Ino sighed loudly, a sign that she was ready to talk, and a chill ran down his spine. _Trouble._

"Hey Shika, since when have you been friend with Naruto?" She asked with a wearied voice.

Shikamaru abruptly turned his face. He hadn't anticipated this question, and even more, this discomfited tone was coming from Ino. Ino was pushy. Ino was proud. Ino was many things but never worn-out.

"Since the academy, I guess..." He answered unsure. _Where that came from? Why Naruto? Why now?_

"Did you know him before? Had you ever played with him when we were still younger?" She continued, curious whether there been at least one person looking out for the young Naruto. She was sure that she didn't play with the boy, nor most of their friends either. There was only Choji and Shika who stayed apart, the potential ones to have been there for Naruto. She needed to find something, someone, a link connected to an happy memory. She couldn't ask Naruto to come back for another session anymore. It would be traumatizing.

Shikamaru took another sip of his beer as he processed her question. "I didn't particularly know of him... I was mostly cloud gazing with Choji."

She sighed, guiltiness resurfacing at full force. Naruto had been alone all this time. Shika was the only kid she knew who could have hang out with an 'uncool' kid, as Shika didn't care about appearance or status. He would treat anyone based on his own experience. But, she should have guessed that an overly active kid like Naruto would not have been the best buddy partner for the lazy Nara.

"Why these questions suddenly? Did something happen with Naruto today?" He pertinently inquired, bringing his glass to his lips.

Ino mimicked him and finished the cup in one gulp. "Naruto remembered some stuff..." She vaguely answered, biting her lower lip to not say more. Even if she wanted to share the burden with someone else, she couldn't reveal the private content of Naruto's memories. The Hokage, Tsunade or every of their friends would have the same limited version of what she discovered. _'Hundreds of short sequences of images, sounds and emotions have appeared in Naruto's mind. The approximate age of the subject was three to four years old at the time of those souvenirs.'_

A smile lit up the face of the strategist. It was an incredible good news. The beer splashed on his hand and on the lustrous surface of the bar as he slammed the glass down on it. "That's great!" He exclaimed, his gloominess vanishing with the thought of Naruto's recovery.

A ghost of a smile stirred up the corner of Ino's lips. It was rare to see her lazy partner this enthusiast, and it was all Naruto's doing. For sure, Shika would be happy by such a news. Like her, like everyone, he didn't know what the blonde man been hiding either. They naturally became Naruto's friends, being forgiven without even an apology to the blond boy. Naruto had been their support, and even with his cruel past, he accepted them, protected them with all his might. Her baby blue eyes stared at her empty cup of sake for few seconds, her thoughts returning to those memories, the distress and the pain she had witnessed creeping on her

Shikamaru's brows furrowed at her suddenly thoughtful expression. "What was in there?"

Ino waved her hand in dismissal. Even if he was the Hokage's assistant, she couldn't divulge details. "Nothing!" She lied, paying her tab hastily. Staying with Shikamaru longer would be bad in her inebriated state as the man was clever enough to extract information without any mind reading power. Unfortunately, her escape attempt failed as a large palm latched on her delicate wrist, forbidding her from taking off.

"Wait!" Shikamaru commanded as he finished his beer in few gulps and dropped some cash on the counter. "I will accompany you."

She blushed at the gallant gesture. Shika was the laziest person on earth, but he always went out of his way to please her or protect her. It was really kind, and she would have accepted if she didn't fear to let slip something that she shouldn't say.

"Isn't it troublesome?" Ino tried pulling her arm away, but stumbled in the process. How unfitting for her image to not be able to walk straight. She may have indulged herself in sake a little too much.

Shikamaru rubbed the back of his neck, and sighed. "Don't mistake me... it's a real drag! But you are too drunk to let you go by yourself."

Ino threw her long ponytail backward, and tried to steady herself, one proud hand on her hip to look less tipsy than she was. "I'm not!"

The dark-haired man shook his head, not buying her act in the slightest, and grabbed her hand again. "Ok, you are not drunk, but you will still not go by yourself."

It was one of those moment where Shika was really manly. She couldn't oppose him more, being guided by him was not bad as they exited the bar. The fresh air felt wonderful on her face, and she realized that she was more than just stumbling around, as her cheeks was pretty warm. Even if the streets were deserted, she concentrated on her feet to look as sober as possible while walking. She was feeling the alcohol getting in her head. For few long minutes the silence extended between them, until Shikamaru approached on Naruto's subject.

"So, what about Naruto?"

The question surprised her, causing her trip-up over her own feet. A warm hand wrapped around her thin waist to help her retain her balance, and she sighed, relieved by the support, which avoided her to disgracefully crash on the ground.

"Nothing I told you."

He snorted, knowing her too well.

"Not much, I was just thinking, you know... Naruto is quite an incredible man."

Shikamaru turned his head to have a better glance at the woman. For years on, he saw her fawning in front of the Uchiha, not even once for his blond teammate. Half of the girls in the village altered their view on the young jinchuriki later, but he never suspected Ino to be one of them.

"You will have some severe concurrence, if you are interested in Naruto." He warned her. She was going to get herself in something really troublesome, if she was falling for the future Hokage.

Ino pouted. Was Shikamaru really thinking that she couldn't compete against the girls who were after Naruto? Though, she wasn't really after Naruto. The guy has grown up well and he was such a sweet heart, but she never has been attracted to blond guys.

"And what?" She defied just by principle. She couldn't tolerate Shika to think that she could lose to any women.

The gleam in his teammate's eyes told him that she took his remark personally, he was in trouble.

"It is nothing to do with you... you're beautiful and all, but if he's really remembering something like you said... you're doomed!"

"Ah?"

"He will remember Sakura." he pointed

"Forehead..." The thought fell on her like a rock on her head. This was the link she searched to connect Naruto to some happy memories. Naruto was always smiling whenever he was with Sakura. She precariously spun on her heels, and grabbed the dark-haired man's face between her hands to lock eyes with him as his face appeared to double in her drunken vision. "Oh Shika! You're such a genius!' She joyously exclaimed, kissing him under the effect of the sake, and maybe a little on the spurt of the moment.

Shikamaru stayed petrified, all his limbs were frozen under the shock. He couldn't understand women. They were some creature deprived of all sense of logic. What happened exactly? He warned her to not fall for Naruto, reminding her that the guy loved Sakura and what? She kissed him. He was in such stupor that he didn't react after he saw her twirl around gleefully as if she won some lottery. His mouth opened as he watched in horror as her body staggered and fell face first on the ground. He blinked twice, not sure if it was safe for him to flee the scene or to help her out.

Ten full second passed, without the 'great' Ino jumping on her feet to avoid the shame of such a fall. Cautiously, he approached the lying woman, and turned her around. She was into a benevolent alcoholic slumber. He winced, noticing the scratch on her face. He was no medic to heal her. She would have to deal with it herself, but she won't be happy about it tomorrow as the wound would stay visible longer if not treated immediately. He lifted her up to carry her to her house and jumped from roof to roof, trying to not look at the woman in his arms. ' _Troublesome_ '. How could she kiss him so casually and then dare to fall inanimate to make him take care of her?

 **PLEASE REVIEW OR DON'T ASK ME WHY I WILL BUTCHER THE STORY OR STOP IT.**

 **YOU ARE MY MOTIVATION. YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS STORY AS MUCH AS ME.**

* ikebana: Flower art


	14. Chapter 14

**THANKS TO GINA TSUKIKO FOR BETA READING THE CHAPTER**

 _guest: thanks_

 _Elarmi: I like Ino the lot, I found her fun to write. Thank you_

 _Guest: Naruto and Sakura relationship will come in its due time. I wanted to create a background before solving the problems, and yeah I wanted to give some time to develop Naruto and Sasuke friendship. Thank you for your support_

 _Yojimbra: It felt like half chapter as they were half chapter posted (though they were my standard lenght of chapter compare to my other stories). For Sakura being the object of desire, it will come but not in the form of card game. thank you for being here_

 _Guest: I can understand why you don't like NaruHina, but NaruSaku have so much potential. Though this one is a difficult one to write as Naruto have to be out of character and this change as well the way Sakura behave. I hope I will be up to your expectation and you will continue to enjoy the story. Please continue to review and share with me your thoughts._

 _Merchant of Blue Death: Ino/Shika is a fun pairing and Sakura is a pervert for sure! I hope you will continue to enjoy your reading. Thank you for your support._

 _eight heroes: Thank you very much! There will be some NaruSaku coming for sure, you just have to be patient. The plot is building up slowly._

 _meero619: Thank you very much for your support. I really need your support to keep up, I lose faith in my work way to easily._

 _maxslayer10: This story will not be finished in a couple of chapter, I have too much written already, but I began to butcher it seriously . I am sure you will recognized the butchered chapters when they will come. I hope you will still enjoy them. I will try my best to bring an end to this mess. I count on your support to help me do it. Thank you very much._

 _AquaRules: Welcome back! Long time no see, I was thinking I had disappointed you and you left the reading. I missed your presence. Thank you to be here. I love Ino too, she's so funny._

 _WindyCitySlayer1: Thank you very much, please continue to review. It's my way to know that you're still here. Thank you_

 _iKONO: Thank you very much. I hope you recovered from your fever and you are all better. Thank you so much for your support, it mean a lot to me. (I didn't found you to PM you, but try the fanfic of luvtoshi and tricksie)_

 _UzumakiDavis27: One step a time, there is a lot to remember for our dear jinchuuriki. I hope you will like where the story goes. Thank you very much for being here_

 _HITMAN0569: Thank you for your support. I hope you will continue to enjoy the story._

 **Chap 13: Illusions and reality**

Naruto tossed and turned again in his bed for hours on end, haunted by the newly discovered fragments of his childhood. He welcomed the chance to rest brought on by the distraction his friends had created. For awhile, his memories weren't as painful and suffocating as when they were unloaded in his brain; until they left him alone in his room, until the light shut off, plunging him again into the poisonous atmosphere surrounding his memories mixed with to the toxic feeling of the darkness around him.

The agonizing loops of images incessantly turned in his mind, always the same short sequences, again and again. There was no escape, he could not look away from them. He tossed in his bed, trying to chase away the visions. He wanted so badly to make them stop. In the realm of his memories, he screamed, shutting his eyes tights and holding his skull between his hands to press them out of his brain. Then the atmosphere changed. The air felt cooler around him, and he hesitantly opened an eye. The images vanished, he wasn't in the darkness with the tortuous memories anymore. He was in a short tunnel with high gray walls and mid-calf water on the ground. Curious, he walked down the corridor in the direction of a strange energy that he could nearly call familiar.

The sounds of splashing were the only noises around as he advanced in the stagnant water. He turned at the first entrance and ended up in cave. He couldn't see the ceiling, as if it was as high as the sky itself, lost in a undefinable darkness. The place was so vast that it was unreal for a cave. In front of him, stood red bars of prison, but with an immense open door. Something moved in the back of the cell, hidden in a sinister half shade.

Naruto squinted his eyes to try to distinguish the form. A long creeping shadow as large as an centennial tree danced from right to left. His eyes widened as two, three, five, eight limbs raised from the darkness swinging in a lazy nonchalance. His jaw hung low, head lifted upward to follow the movement of what looked like a raising mountain. The shadow extended up, filling the cage completely, impressive by it size and it overwhelming powerful aura. Naruto stayed rooted to the spot as a paw more than ten times his size emerged from the shadow, followed by the rest of the imposing creature.

Red eyes fixed on him, and the blond human couldn't help but notice the threatening teeth lining the huge jaw. _What is that thing?_ The overall form was one of a fox, but with nine giant tails waving behind it. Naruto couldn't move, even as the thing came closer. _Is this a dream?_ It would be the first one since he woke from his coma, his nights until then being only the oppressive loneliness of the darkness in his mind. The beast leisurely sat not far from the small human. Naruto's eyes scanned the colossal animal. It looked so real and was so detailed that he doubted it was just an illusion.

Kurama glanced at his friend, torn between being happy to see the blond and tempted to sulk for having been abandoned for so long. It had been a while since Naruto had come to visit for a small chat like they used to do.

"You took your time to come by, kit." The creature said with his natural roaring voice.

Naruto finally blinked, surprised that the creature talked to him.

"You know me?" The blond questioned, stunned.

Kurama snorted, nonchalantly resting his head on his big paw. _A joke!_ The kid hadn't grown up much; he was still so full of pranks.

"What is it this time? Sure I know you, I live within you!" The fox demon reminded his host, expecting Naruto to start laughing at his failed attempt to fool him. He was a fox. Did the kid really think he could outsmart him?

Naruto's eyes widened in realization. The beast was within him. The cruel words of the villagers in his memories resonated in his mind.

' _Monster_ '

His eyes were transfixed on the giant animal.

' _within me_ '

It was in him.

' _I am a monster..._ '

His knees buckled underneath him, water splashing around as he fell to the ground. His shoulders were tensed, his arms supporting his weight to prevent him from flopping further down. His head bend forward, he looked without seeing at his reflection, still shocked at his discovery. Slowly his gaze focused, meeting the mirror of his own blue eyes.

' _I am a monster..._ '

"Oi, kit! What's wrong?" Kurama called out to him worriedly, and seeing the strange behavior of his friend, extended his paw to pat the small human.

At the touch, Naruto jolted in surprise, crawling away to retreat from the contact. His eyes returned to the fox, not finding anything yet to say, letting the information settle to be able to form a thought.

Kurama frowned. This was really unlike Naruto. He reached out with his paw again, and saw the blond instinctively cross his arms in front of his face in a defensive gesture for a potential battle, ready to withstand a blow. However, Kurama didn't touch him the second time as a third person got in his way.

Sharingan activated, Sasuke stood in front of the blond protectively. "Stay back if you don't want to become a fur coat!" The Uchiha ordered. Hearing a scream, he had rushed into Naruto's room, and not able to wake the sleeping blond up, he looked into Naruto's blue eyes to find his friend defending himself from the fox.

"Uchiha..." Kurama growled, he had never liked the man who put him under the control of his Rinnengan and tried to kill his first friend.

Naruto blinked, dumbfounded to see his best friend in front of him. He uttered his name, wondering if he was hallucinating. "Sasuke? What are you doing here?"

The dark-haired shinobi looked over his shoulder at his _brother_. "I heard you scream, so I came to your realm."

"How? You knew about this place? You knew about me being...?" Naruto didn't finish his sentence, ashamed. He didn't dare to say 'monster' out loud in front of his closest person.

"With my eyes's power I came here once. You're ok Naruto?"

"Huh? Yeah... I guess... I–I don't know... I mean...You saw _that_?" The blond admitted, lost. Would Sasuke still be his friend now that he saw the beast too?

"Don't interfere!" The fox menacingly roared to the invader, standing up with his imposing stature to look down on the small dark-haired man.

Not impressed in the least, Sasuke noted the open door of the jail. "How careless to let you out!" He commented to himself.

"You've got nothing to do here. Go away!" Kurama barked.

Sasuke fixed the giant with his dark glare. "You don't understand the situation, Kyuubi. Naruto has lost his memories, those about you included. So for now keep quiet and leave him in peace!"

Kurama watched his friend's face: his expression, his strange behavior... Naruto had forgotten him. His only friend... He couldn't believe it. He wanted to shake the blond's shoulder, to tell him to stop the prank. After all those years of loneliness, it was impossible... he couldn't have lost his human friend.

"Kit?" The fox demon uttered, unsettled. He extended his paw, hoping to see the blond's infamous smile and bump fists with him. But this Naruto didn't move, he just looked at him unsurely from behind the Uchiha.

Naruto glanced over his best friend's shoulder. The beast was static, fixing him straight in the eyes. It didn't look menacing now that he could take a good glimpse of it. He felt strangely pained to witness such a sad expression on its face. Maybe the beast was just like him... Maybe the beast was suffering as much as he was.

Sasuke turned around, offering his hand to Naruto to help him up, pulling him out of his contemplation."Don't worry! Kyuubi is under control... If you want to, I can lock your seal, but I don't think the fur-ball will move anytime soon."

After a last brief glance toward the fox and the bars of its jail, Naruto shook his head, accepting the warm hand. "If it was free within me before, I have no reason to lock it up now." Naruto decided. He didn't know the story between them, but somehow, he felt connected to the beast, through the same pain and sorrow.

Kurama looked defeated as Sasuke helped Naruto up and escorted him out of the cave. The tailed beast stared at the place where his only friend had been standing for a long time, his heart clenched in desolation. His head hung low, he finally turned around, went back to his cell and curled himself up in a ball.

Solitude. Solitude settling around him as a bitter companion.

XXXXXXXXXX

Emerging from his subconsciousness, Naruto opened his eyes to the dim light of his bedside lamp. His best friend was sitting on the edge of his bed, observing him cautiously. For a while, they didn't say anything; Sasuke waiting for Naruto to collect himself, and Naruto lost in his thoughts. Naruto didn't know what to do with his strange discovery. He was indeed a monster, or at least he had a monster within him. The giant fox was big...really impressive, but not as threatening as it seemed at first. Even Sasuke wasn't scared of it, he acted completely unaffected; as if he didn't care for the beast.

Naruto supported himself on his elbow to have a half sitting position and have a better view of Sasuke's face. "Ne Sasuke... It wasn't a dream?"

"No." The dark-haired man simply replied.

"The beast is real... and you knew about it?"

"Yes."

"You're still my friend?" Naruto questioned, unsure of their situation; unsure whether anyone could treat him better than the villagers had once they knew about his monster status.

"No," Sasuke bluntly answered, immediately earning a discomfited expression from the blond. ' _Naruto is so easy to read.'_ The Uchiha thought, amused at teasing him. Sasuke drew a small smile on his usually emotionless face and poked Naruto's forehead. "I'm your brother!" He stated.

A burst of warmth flooded through them both, as Naruto threw his arms around Sasuke for a bone crushing hug. It was so reassuring to have someone who would love him unconditionally, like family; someone he could count on in this moment where he had no landmark whatsoever in his life.

Sasuke awkwardly patted the blond's shoulder. He felt happy, stupidly happy. But he was still unfamiliar with this kind of demonstration of affection. He had been all alone for so long, he had communicated with Naruto through kicks and punches up until now, that he didn't know how to handle their present relationship without the competition or Sakura in it. He thought for a moment, relishing in their proximity and the trust and affection Naruto was giving him. Sasuke imagined it was what Itachi must have felt when taking care of his kid brother, this sense of duty to always protect him no matter what.

"Would you want me to stay with you tonight? We could put two futons on the terrace and watch the stars for a while, it might help you sleep." Sasuke suggested, remembering doing the same thing with his big brother, when his life was still full of innocence and happiness.

Naruto nodded, slowly releasing his grip. He didn't want to admit it, or to put more burden on those who took care of him, but the dark feelings in his head were always more bearable when his friends were around.

As soon as Sasuke was free again, the dark-haired man jumped on his feet and went to retrieve the covers to put them downstairs. He couldn't stop this nostalgic feeling that grew in his chest; doing the same thing he did as a kid was like having his family back. The blond followed him, and Sasuke remembered himself doing the same with Itachi. It was heart-warming to have Naruto's undivided attention just for himself as if they were real brothers. He briefly glanced at the blond who helped him set-up the futon, and a small smile broke on both their faces. Naruto, too, was happy to share this moment with him. They were brothers. Even without their shared pain, Naruto was all Sasuke had left.

They settled on their respective mattresses. This Naruto was silent, but Sasuke didn't mind, he could easily live through the silence. It was just good to be together. For a long moment, they stayed immobile, their gazes lost on the myriad of stars. Then, Sasuke noticed the frown deepening on the blond's face, and he knew that sooner or later, Naruto would talk. He just waited for him to be ready. He had never been the pushy type like Sakura could be-inquiring, turning around, pressing him with this gentle maternal way that either came from her feminine side or her medical ability. He didn't know how to do it in the first place, asking questions wasn't his forte. All he could do was be there, listening to whatever Naruto would say.

"Ne Sasuke... What I am exactly?"

"You're Naruto." Sasuke simply stated.

"I remembered something today." Naruto tightened his fist, ready to share his painful memories. "I was a kid... and I didn't understand why people hated me," he swallowed with difficulty at the admission. "They called me – monster... they avoided me..." he kept his eyes straight ahead, not daring to look at Sasuke's expression, afraid to maybe see the same disgusted stare on his precious person. "Did I do anything to hurt them? Did I, or that thing inside me... ya know... hurt them?"

Sasuke grabbed the blond's jaw to force him to look at him. He saw the pain in the blue eyes, the guilty feeling of possibly causing anyone harm. Those feelings were the remnants of his past, the only explanation that Naruto could imagine to have deserved hatred. Sasuke was really tempted to have a peek at those souvenirs to understand him better, but he respected Naruto's privacy too much to invade more of his secrets.

"You didn't. As long as I knew you, you have never tried to hurt anyone." _'Not even me, even though I tried to kill you'_ "In the past, there was war between villages, and Kyuubi was used by the Leaf as a weapon. He was considered a powerful demon. There are other tailed beasts in the world, that other villages have used as well. To keep the beast safe from harming the village, it was locked inside of people with certain power, called Jinchuuriki. You're a jinchuuriki." Sasuke explained matter of factly before noticing the light frown on the blond, as if jinchuuriki meant the same as monster or weapon.

"You are **not** Kyuubi." The Uchiha insisted, "You're Naruto Uzumaki. Don't make me repeat it again, or you'll make me sound like you." Sasuke jested, remembering with fondness the old days when the blond would claim his name and that he would become Hokage to every person he met.

"And do people still hate me?" The blond asked, insecure.

"No. Not anymore."

"Hmm – they don't mind me having the beast within me?" The jinchuuriki dug further, not confident in the change of heart of the people.

"You're an annoying idiot – You saw it. You saw the gifts and letters. You saw the people running to you." _Why do you think I carried you around? Can't you believe in yourself like you used to do? Be that guy again! The most determined and self assured idiot in the world;_ _the only person who could face hatred without being soiled with it. Even Itachi had chosen you to lead us to peace – show me that you're still here!_

"Ah – yeah – that makes sense ... By the way, I'm not an idiot, I'm an amnesiac!" Naruto insisted, his pride on the line.

"You're an amnesic idiot." The Uchiha teased, poking his _brother's_ forehead _._

"You're mean!"

"I know." Sasuke chuckled lightly.

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

Early that morning Sasuke woke up on their terrace and he quite easily noticed the differences as when he'd done the same with Itachi. First, the covers were still on him. Second, Naruto was still sleeping, whereas Itachi would have been long gone. And then, the blond was wrapped around him, as if he were a teddy bear. Sasuke couldn't remember a day, even in his young age, where he would have slept with a plush-toy. Even so, Naruto was always holding a pillow in his arms every time Sasuke woke him up. He glanced at the face of the blond man. Naruto was peacefully snoring, and Sasuke didn't feel like waking him up. He wasn't really uncomfortable having Naruto's head on his shoulder, and he could certainly bear with it a little longer to let Naruto rest a little longer.

The minutes passed slowly and Sasuke stayed immobile, watching at the changing color of the sky. Somehow he thought he could get used to his new relationship with the blond, their new interactions and all. Even if things were different, they weren't completely bad. By the time he nearly fell back to sleep, lulled by the steady breathing at his side, the click of the door woke him. He growled to himself, aware of the only person who could dare to enter their house so casually. There was always a bunch of people coming in and out of here, but only one who had the keys. He listened to the light steps moving around, sure that soon they would be spotted and their peace would be broken. He heard her turn around, go to the kitchen, and then the steps were coming toward them.

He was right... she immediately unleashed hell on them.

"What are you doing to Naruto?!" Sakura shrieked, falling to her knees and prying the blond away from Sasuke's torso.

"Nothing." Sasuke answered coolly. "But, you're the one trying to suffocate him." He pointed a finger toward her chest where she kept Naruto's head tightly, the sleeping blond not trying to move away from the unexpected nice pillow. "Even without being compared to the old hag, you can still technically kill him."

She blushed, and hastily released Naruto, realizing how inappropriate it was to hold him to her breasts. The blond woke up, landing abruptly on his mattress and ruffling his hair, only half opening his eyes.

"That's not the problem here..." She accusingly mumbled to Sasuke, trying to hide her shame behind a fake righteous attitude. Sasuke immediately understood what she was implying.

Naruto yawned, and then blinked surprise to see the pinkette by his side. "Oh! Sakura! Good morning!" He innocently greeted unaware of the tension growing between his two best friends. He was so sound asleep that he hadn't noticed the ruckus, and was just groggily waking up. Sitting up straight the young jinchuuriki stretched his arms above his head, his back curving like a lazy cat after a long nap, and yawned one more time for good measure. Sasuke was right, talking and watching the stars helped him calm his mind: he felt so refreshed now that he'd had a few hours of real sleep.

Sakura blushed more, her cheeks the exact same color as her hair, meeting the cerulean blue eyes of her amnesic boyfriend. Feeling the warmth on her face spread to her neck at the idea of how natural it had been for her to hold him in her arms, she suddenly turned around, and in a not so subtle manner, crossed her arms over her breasts to hide their modest size.

"Yeah! The problem is you! We don't need you stepping in anytime you feel like it! I can take care of Naruto alone. " Sasuke growled in return to her accusing tone.

Her blood boiled to be thrown to the side by her teammate as if she was nothing more than collateral. "I was here before you and will be here long after you're gone! I have the same right to be here as you do! I am responsible for Naruto's recovery too, and from now on, I'm going to live here with him." Sakura replied impulsively in outrage, turning her head to hold the dark stare of the Uchiha.

"What the hell?! You can't decide that yourself!" Sasuke barked.

"You want me to ask the permission to the council maybe?" She suggested in a challenge, her tone fake sweet.

Sasuke's brow twitched dangerously, his teeth grinding in irritation. "You're annoying!" He stated bluntly.

Her jade eyes defiantly withstood the Uchiha's stare. "Some things never change, some do..." She let slip, finding a satisfactory victory in not backing down. She stood up proudly to go prepare breakfast, not fazed by Sasuke's opinion. He could find her annoying, she was no longer the innocent teenager blindly in love with him to get hurt by his mood. She knew that Naruto loved her... she just needed him to remember.

Naruto sat between them but couldn't quite follow their bickering, but he didn't want his two best friends to argue with each other. "Hey! Sasuke! It's not nice to talk to her like that! I don't mind if she comes and lives with us. We have plenty of rooms, it shouldn't be a problem." Naruto defended naively.

 _'Always her!'_ "Are you with me or against me?" Sasuke grouched, still infuriated by Sakura's ultimatum. He knew all too well that the council could interfere with his life at any moment, and if Sakura really wanted, she would have no difficulty convincing the old geezers to let her stay with them for Naruto's security. He lost and he hated it. Not expecting an answer Sasuke left, walking to the garden to cool his head. There was no point in a battle here, Naruto would never choose between them. The former rogue ninja crouched down between the plants and began to pluck out the weeds to pass his anger. He clicked his tongue in annoyance, pulling harder on the roots. He needed to find a way to get her out of the picture or she would get Naruto wrapped around her little finger like before in no time.

Naruto looked back and forth in the opposite directions his two friends had left in and sighed, unable to fix their quarrel. He couldn't understand his best friend. Sakura was such a sweet girl, always here to help and to take care of them. Why was Sasuke always so harsh with her? The blond flopped back on his mattress, watching some white clouds pass in the pale blue sky. Somehow, he felt like the activity was soothing and familiar; maybe he used to do something like that before, or maybe he did it with a good friend... _Who knows?_

Except for the nasty fragment of memories he got, his mind was still completely blank. Who was he? What was his past? He wasn't so sure he wanted to remember anymore. A part of him wanted nothing more than to let the scars of the past be buried deep in the blackness of oblivion. He already had Sasuke and Sakura. He could maybe build up a new life from there, get back to training to restore his former abilities and pick up life on the way to avoid facing more pain from his past.

A curtain of lovely pink hair came blocking his view a few minutes later, and his smile instinctively stretched seeing her face above his.

"Food is ready Naruto!" Sakura sing-songed cheerfully; happy to be able to do something for him, as little as it was, and blushed slightly at his contagious smile. For a second, she thought that it was one of his real smiles, and that he was back with her, like before. Her heart tightened, and she battled down her agitated emotions to not show him any form of sadness. She promised herself a long time ago that she would be strong to support him. Even if she insanely missed him, even if she was on the verge of breaking, this was the least she could do, for him and all the things he had done for her.

A burst of warmth filled his veins at the sight of her; she was so cute, here, with her gentle gaze on him, and then he noticed the spark of sorrow hiding in the jade eyes. He wanted so much to open his arms, and cradle her against his chest to chase away all the pain from her adorable gaze. He really couldn't understand Sasuke's harshness toward her. Whatever their problem was, a real man shouldn't make a girl sad, and Sakura even less.

"Come on, before it gets cold..." She invited him, forcing a smile as she tried to compose herself, pulling a curl behind her ear. Her throat felt so tight, and she knew she shouldn't stay like that for too long or she might just throw herself at him to find comfort in his arms. With apparent calmness, she straightened herself, and moved back in to finish bringing everything on the table.

Naruto sat up to watch her leave. His tongue was tied down, not knowing what to say. If he knew more about her, maybe he could find something to lift up her spirits or make her happy. Maybe his real self knew what to do. A heavy sigh escaped his lips; if it was the only thing he could do for her, he would have to go to the hospital again to find out.

Naruto stood and jumped into the garden. Enhancing his feet with chakra like Sasuke had shown him, the junchuuriki took one leap to land more or less gracefully near the dark-haired man. Naruto observed him pulling on the grass diligently. Somehow the gardening activity didn't quite fit the image Sasuke made about himself as an hardened shinobi. He knew the guy was kind at heart, even if Sasuke showed an emotionless face to most people; the blond got plenty of proof of that the last few days they had spent together, as Sasuke took care of him like a real brother.

Naruto crouched down near him. "Breakfast is ready. Would you come with me?"

"Not yet."

"Are you sulking?" This was hardly a question and more of an affirmation.

"No. I'm cleaning." Sasuke answered, his fingers digging in the soil to grab the root firmly.

"Do you like gardening that much?" Naruto insisted curious.

"No. It's your garden actually... you're the one who likes gardening. You always take care of it on our days off."

' _For me..._ ' "Oh? So I should do it instead of you – Come on Sasuke, let's have breakfast, I will do it later. It will be a good practice for me to be back in my old life." Naruto cheerfully suggested, poking the man's ribs with his elbow to make him move.

Sasuke frowned for the sake of appearance, but let himself get pulled by the blond. He owed his hope and his life to this man, what he could accept and what he would do for Naruto was beyond his imagination.

Sakura was already seated at the table at her usual spot, waiting for Naruto to join her. She had laid out a lavish breakfast, prepared very early that morning at her house to overthrow Sasuke's sunny-side-up-eggs in Naruto's heart. The blond's smile shone like a hundred watts, some saliva already dripping on the side of his mouth at all the delicious food spread before him.

"Waaaa... Sakura! Did you prepare all that for us?" Naruto asked her amazed, taking the spot at her side and eagerly serving himself.

Sasuke looked down on the table, acknowledging the effort without showing any sign of emotion, and walked past it to go in the kitchen. It was nice of her to treat them to such a feast, but he wasn't in the mood to eat and she didn't bring the only thing that he might really want: coffee.

Sakura watched him pass without stopping at the table, her fists tightening at the cold attitude of her teammate. She had prepared Sasuke's favorite food, too, as a sign of her good intentions toward him. She didn't come with any desire for battle, she just ended up bursting out an open challenge on the terrace driven by her legendary bad temper. But she didn't want him to consider her an enemy. She missed their old interactions, when they would talk and train together. Was it all Naruto's magic? Naruto, the only bond between them? She sighed as the tall stature of the dark-haired man disappeared through the kitchen door. Even if she could stay here, with or without his consent, she hoped that at least the cohabitation would be more cordial than in the hospital.

Her attention returned fully to her amnesic boyfriend when the blond man praised her, his mouth full of food. Normally she would have been enraged, bonking his head to teach him proper manners, but instead a tender smile bloomed on her face at the familiar bad habit of eating and talking at the same time. All those small trivial things, taken for granted or previously irking her temper – All those insignificant details, parts of him she had learned to love along the years – All of him, whatever it was, took on another dimension now that she had lost them. If she could go back in time, change the years she wasted with him, change the course of history to keep him unharmed, change everything which choked her with regrets today. If she could...

She strained her smile, to not let it falter, hiding her tear-filled eyes by pretending to eat her plate. It was so hard; she felt so vulnerable and precariously standing on the verge of sanity without her real Naruto to give her courage. She forced herself to eat a little to distract her heart from the ache of being a stranger to him, but it was too much for her to withstand. She gasped, taking a large breath to calm her ragged emotions. She could feel the nausea building up in her throat, and the damn broke when Sasuke came back from the kitchen with a steaming cup of fresh coffee, as if the man knew what to do to make her feel even more miserable. The smell insidiously reaching her nostrils got the better of her. She couldn't bear that specific smell recently, and she had no other choice than to dash to the restroom to empty the contents of her stomach into the toilet.

Naruto, surprised, let his chopsticks fall from his hand, seeing her run abruptly away. His stunned gaze encountered Sasuke as he sat at his spot in front of her previous place. The dark-haired man's eyes briefly looked in direction of the bathroom but nonetheless acted perfectly unperturbed by her strange attitude, ready to sip his coffee nonchalantly. With a glance above his cup, he noticed Naruto's insistent glare on him.

"Don't look at me like that! I didn't do anything to her..." Sasuke defended himself.

Without exchanging a word, Naruto pushed his chair back to go check on her, feeling somewhat angry at Sasuke for no specific reason. He rapidly reached the ground-floor bathroom and immediately heard the guttural sound of violent regurgitation. He paused, his heart clenching in his chest each time she vomited, imagining her frail body convulsing at the intense spasms. She sounded like she was in a pitiful state. The blond waited for her to finish, and when for few seconds she didn't continue, he hesitantly made her aware his presence.

"Sakura... Are you ok? Do you need me to call a doctor?"

"...fine..." He barely heard her weak voice muffled by the thickness of the door.

"Sure?" Naruto insisted, not really believing her after witnessing her vomiting for more than five minutes.

"I'm fine..." She repeated a bit more strongly, probably recovering slightly from such an intense activity.

"Ah-huh... Can I do...? I don't know... Can I do something for you?" Naruto tried uncertain, waiting a few seconds before hearing her shift around a bit and the shuffle of clothes.

"Hmm... Maybe..." She accepted, her voice a little rough from putting her throat through such bad treatment. "Can you lend me a shirt? I need to wash my top..." she asked timidly.

"Yeah! I will be right back!" Naruto shouted, already climbing the stairs to go to his room.

As unaffected as he looked Sasuke didn't miss an ounce of their exchange, and as soon as the blond ran up, he teleported himself inside the bathroom to have a much needed talk with Sakura. The woman shrieked in surprise, hiding her nearly bare chest with her arms as her teammate materialized out of nowhere at the side of the sink where she was rinsing her top. Instinctively, her hand flew toward the face of the man for a ferocious slap, but Sasuke wasn't the type to be surprised by any form of attack and caught her wrist in a vice grip, knowing the power the woman was capable of.

"If you're sick, go back home." He told her without niceties. He'd seen Naruto's behavior toward her enough to be sure that the blond would want to nurse her back to health, even at the risk of getting sick himself.

"I'm not _sick_." She forcibly pulled on her arm to free herself, and covered her chest with a small hand towel by the sink to keep some modesty. "Whatever you're here for, can you turn around at least?" She requested, her face darkly blushing at being exposed in front of him.

"I don't care!" Sasuke said haughtily, not at all affected by the pearly soft skin on display. From a fairly young age women of all types had thrown themselves at him, and he was completely immune to those charms as long as he was concerned with more important business.

Furious and embarrassed, Sakura began to turn around to give him her back, but he firmly grabbed her shoulder to keep her in place to continue their short talk. His grip was strong, slightly digging his fingers into her to hold her still. However it mostly was the surprise which made her freeze more than the force he put in his gesture.

"I heard you vomiting – You can't fool me!" He declared, assertive. "Don't you think we have enough problems without risking infecting him with whatever you have? Stop being selfish!" He spat, releasing her, letting her stagger off balance against the wall.

She was stunned and hurt deep down from his words. She didn't want to cry. She didn't want to look weak. But she couldn't, it was too heavy to carry this any longer, it was beyond her will, and her tears began to roll down her cheeks.

"He won't get sick." She mumbled, trying to get a grip on her emotions, rubbing her eyes with both her wrists to dry the tears.

"I know you want to help him, but it will just be more trouble!" Sasuke huffed, trying to explain himself more nicely this time. He was angry at her, but he never really wanted to hurt her.

"He won't get sick because I'm not sick!" She insisted more firmly, getting fed up by Sasuke's stubbornness. She was exhausted, she was in so much pain already... She needed some support and not someone to fight with. He looked at her incredulously, crossing his arms over his chest and waiting for her to change her mind. The man wouldn't let her go without the whole story. She hid her face in her hands, ready to break down, and admit what she had kept to herself since she discovered it almost two weeks ago. "I'm pregnant!" She blurted out, her body slightly wobbling by finally confessing it aloud to someone.

She didn't need to say or do more to have the air blown out of his lungs completely. He hadn't expected this. His hand came up to cover his mouth, realizing how harshly he had treated her, his eyes focused on her. She suddenly appeared incredibly frail in the soft morning light coming from the small windows of the bathroom. The strong Sakura was nowhere to be found in her huddled form, with her back slightly crouched forward and her face in her hands. Sasuke took a step back and let his other hand rest on the sink for support. An eternity stretched between them, her eyes tightly shut and his staring into space, unable to see anything. It took him a while to dare to break the silence.

"Who's the father?" He finally asked, passing tense fingers through his hair, trying to gather his thoughts.

"Please... Don't ask me that..." She pleaded with a trembling voice, shaking her head as if she refused to hear the question. She could already feel the small pearls of water savagely escaping from the corner of her closed eyes. ' _Don't make me say it out loud,_ ' she prayed internally.

The silence again, uncomfortable, heavy, and Sasuke jolted in realization.

"Don't tell me..." The Uchiha exclaimed, surprise seizing him. The dark gaze shifted toward her, seeing her in a new light. He didn't need more confirmation that the confession given by her posture, her body shaking by her restrained sob like a wounded animal. He hadn't finished his sentence, understanding now the depth of her pain. It was Naruto...

All along he had been so blind, thinking that they were just two idiots turning around each other... but he was the one who refused to see their relationship change. It was so obvious now, all those times where Naruto clumsily hid his love and she faked not being interested. If the situation were a bit different, he might have laughed at himself to have been fooled so drastically. He didn't see it coming, but it was now a fact, an ironic reality.

"What do you plan to do?" He asked softly, his voice all gentle as if he was afraid to hurt her with his words.

"I – I don't know." She admitted, feeling tired from the rush of emotions, her body suddenly empty, nothing left to continue to crying over her fate of being pregnant from a man who had completely forgotten who she was.

He shifted his weight to his other leg and turned his head to the side; finally uncomfortable to have her so undressed in front of him as the thought of her being intimate with Naruto sank into his brain. His fingers tightened on the edge of the sink, more questions burning on his lips.

"Will you keep it?" He probed hesitantly.

She sadly laughed, straightening up, her hands abandoning her face and staring at the Uchiha with her tear brimmed eyes. "Even you can't ask me that!" Sakura stated, all her strength gathered in that second to stand tall and face her fate. However difficult it might be, she would never be able to conceive such an idea of killing a part of Naruto. Even in the worst situation, if her lover never remembered her, she would not abandon what was left of her treasured love.

Sasuke lowered his eyes, lost for words. It was something he was unfamiliar with, all those emotions. All his life had been only about revenge and hatred, refusing and battling his precious bonds, while she always stayed strong like Naruto. She never gave into despair, enduring the pain, cherishing whatever she had, and today protecting the life within her and a love maybe gone forever. He couldn't stop himself from admiring her in that second; her, so courageous with her tears stained cheeks.

"I could be a father for your child if you need." He shyly suggested, not knowing what more he could do than to bear with her the charge of Naruto's child.

Sakura snorted at his offer, guessing he was doing it all for Naruto again. "No thanks!" She refused plainly. "I can already imagine how terrible a father you would be: disappearing for at least twelve years and coming back one day as if nothing happened. I prefer to go into exile and tell my child that his father is dead than to gave him false hope with a father who'll never be there."

"You would leave?" Sasuke questioned, baffled at such a possibility. It seemed unthinkable to him to have her or Naruto ever leave Konoha.

"Have you ever seen the Fourth Hokage? If the baby inherits the same gene, I couldn't possibly stay around Naruto without raising suspicions about his paternity." Sakura darkly joked. She had been so shocked when meeting Naruto's father during the war at how remarkably similar they were; there was no doubt she would need to go far away to avoid people noticing the strong resemblance with her baby. She sighed, completely drained, pressing the small towel against her chest and her gaze averting his eyes. "Do you have more questions or can I have some privacy to clean myself up?" She demanded, faking a strength she didn't have.

Ashamed and troubled by the whole ordeal, the Uchiha just shook his head in denial and turned around to leave right away.

She stopped him one last time before his hand reached the doorknob, her voice timid and beseeching. "Don't tell him anything! Not a single word, please..."

Sasuke nodded as his only answer. If it was what she wanted, he would respect her choice. Opening the door, he found a folded orange tee-shirt. He picked up the cloth and set it down on the corner of the sink without any comments. With the turmoil of the revelation, they completely forgot about the possibility of eavesdroppers. Their eyes met, aware that her secret might not be a secret anymore. But Sasuke decided that he wouldn't break his vow of silence. Sakura already had enough to deal with, she could at least make her own decision of what was best for them. He would just stay close by in the shadows, ready to be the friend he had never been for her before.

 **REVIEWS IS PROOF THAT YOUR STILL HERE. REVIEWS ARE MY MOTIVATION. YOU'RE MY MOTIVATION.**

 **WITHOUT YOU I LOSE ALL PURPOSE IN WRITING THIS**


	15. Chapter 15

_**THANKS TO TofuNinjaCat FOR BETA READING THE CHAPTER**_

 _LolitaFernandes: Obrigado! Espero que vocï¿½ continue a amar_

 _maxslayer10: did you ever heard about the murphy law (if something can go wrong it will)? Basically this is what happened next :) I hope you will like my plot. Thank you for your support!_

 _guest:I have left some clue about it here and there with Sakura frequent nausea and mostly the condom incident XD. For all your question, keep reading the answer will come soon. Thank you very much!_

 _Alphadark19:I'm so glad you liked it! For rewarding your patience here is your answer about Naruto eavesdropping. Thank you, I hope you will continue to tell me what you think of the chapters._

 _Naru285: Yeah Sasuke treated Sakura like the person who nearly killed his best friend until now. But now she is the mother of Naruto's child. She's part of the family hehe. Thank you very much for being here_

 _Elarmi: Thanks!_

 _Eight heroes:Thank you for your support! I hope you will like the next chapter too._

 _Katus293: Thank you very much! I'm glad that you liked it!_

 _The 7th demon of Razgriz: Thank you for being here and for your patience, here the new chapter_

 _Guest: Yeah Naruto came back in the middle of it hehe. Thank you! I hope you will continue to share with me your thoughts_

 _Guest: Thank you very much!_

 _Kimiss: You will see in this chapter. Thank you! I hope you will continue to like it!_

 _Guess: everything will come at the right time. I hope you will like the development of it. Thank you for your support!_

 _Yojimbra: I am really sorry to ear it. It's hard to write something. Please feel free to tell me what I should correct. Thank you!_

 _Phhsdj: Yes Now the secret is out. I invite you to see how it turn out. Thank you for your support_

 _hennessyswagg83: I can't force people to agree with me or like what I write. Thank you to have give a try to my story until now._

 _Troa95: Thank you very much! You know already what it mean for me._

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 _Kuroshirokun4869: I didn't find what it mean. I hope it's good. Thanks_

 _dpmaragoni: yeah Ino will help him remembere. But I let you the pleasure to see what will happen from it. Thank you very much!_

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 _ **To answer all the people who might find it strange that Naruto and Kyuubi didn't talk until now: I had to debate with myself how it can be possible for him to not know about Kyuubi. But I though that Naruto didn't talk to the Kyuubi until he've been twelve or thirteen years old. His way to access the kyuubi had been under high stress. I can be wrong as I am not a Naruto expert, but this is how I view it. For me, the connection with Kyuubi is made from Naruto side. So I imagined that the dark matter might have block some brain connection that allow him to connect with Kurama, and Ino treatment have restore some of it. So here he felt into his mental realm by mistake because of the stress created by his memories.**_

 _ **For kyuubi not knowing about what happened to Naruto, think of it as if Kurama is in box without window. Naruto senses are his opening, if the connection to his senses are blocked, he is just in the dark.**_

 _ **XXX**_

 _ **Chap 14: Experience is the mistress of fools**_

As he walked out of the bathroom, Sasuke found the blond nowhere to be seen. From a quick glance on all sides, he noticed his familiar bright yellow hair in the garden. Naruto was gardening like he had done previously, casually continuing to clean the soil from all the weeds. A faint hope emerged at the sight, maybe most of his conversation with Sakura was still kept confidential. In a few strides, he joined Naruto, hoping to get a general idea of how much knowledge he had on the situation.

Naruto didn't quite know how to react to the approaching person, he simply peacefully continued his activities as if undisturbed by the arrival of his best friend. His muscles tensed, feeling strangely troubled after having overheard parts of Sasuke and Sakura's conversation. He felt his stomach churn, his heart restless. He didn't know what to think or what to feel, too confused by what he had discovered.

He had been surprised when coming back to the bathroom to hear the woman's voice, curious as to who she was speaking to. A quick glance to the empty breakfast table revealed it to be Sasuke, who he assumed must have joined Sakura inside. It was an odd occurrence, Sasuke didn't show any sign of worry for the girl's condition beforehand. Naruto could have left then, knowing that she was taken care of, but his curiosity spiked and he stood still, perfectly immobile and silent to catch some parts of their conversation. Their voices were low and hushed as ninja stayed discreet in all situations, making his effort to eavesdrop much more difficult for someone untrained. But no matter how much his brain forgot of his past life, his body remembered all of it, his senses still sharp as a blade.

With a bit more attention, Naruto was able to make up their words more clearly. He listened to the low timber of Sasuke, asking her what she planned to do. Sakura's voice seemed weaker and muffled, her voice agonizing as if she was crying. _She didn't know... she didn't know what?_ _What did Sasuke do to her to make her cry?_ The blond let for a while his interrogations on the side to stay concentrated on the words, hearing Sasuke continue his questioning about keeping something. It tinkled in his ears, her sad high pitched laugh, it was short but piercing like an arrow straight through the heart. ' _...you can't ask me that,'_ she said. What they were discussing didn't make much sense to him and Naruto regretted not being able to catch their conversation sooner, maybe then he would understand the meaning of their words. That was when he heard it, Sasuke telling her that he could be a father for her child. Sakura was pregnant with Sasuke's child. It was a shock. It was one thing to be told that she loved his best friend, but another to discover just how deeply.

Naruto took a cautious step back. He felt ashamed of how naive he had been and of how easily he got attached to her. Call it the Nightingale syndrome, transfer or whatever, he nonetheless thought that he had a chance, that maybe she was no longer in love with Sasuke as their relationship often appeared conflicted. He understood now why she seemed so pained that morning after her bickering with the man, her despondent laugh when Sasuke asked her if she planned to keep their child. She still loved Sasuke, that much was clear. He didn't know anything about them and here he was letting himself foolishly get carried away, falling for her angelic smile.

The blond dropped the t-shirt in front of the door and left to not be any more intrusive on their private matter. Then he stupidly ran out, he just needed to get out of there. He looked at the tomato plants perfectly aligned in the alley, at all the flowers blooming with different colors and at the wild grass trying to grow in between, reminding him of himself, out of place and unwelcome amongst the flower garden. Pinching his lips in a tight line, he squatted, and began to pull on the weeds like Sasuke did. His best friend was right, he liked gardening – it was soothing. It was like getting rid of all the unnecessary things, it was like pulling on the roots of those foolish feelings in his heart to not let them grow further. He didn't have any right to like her... She was pregnant with his best friend's child.

Sasuke joined him, silent at first as usual, and Naruto waited for him to instigate the conversation. If the man didn't talk, then neither would he, the blond decided. What could he tell him after all? _Hey Sasuke, I think I like your girlfriend a little too much._ It was ridiculous. How could he be so insensitive to his two best friends? Naruto pulled more aggressively on a root, and then the generally taciturn man engaged a small talk.

"You didn't want to finish your breakfast first before gardening?" Sasuke asked, gauging Naruto's attention.

"No – Yes – hmm – I was just waiting for you and Sakura." Naruto mumbled, keeping his eyes low in an attempt to not meet Sasuke's gaze. He was somehow feeling guilty to have eavesdropped on them.

"Yeah my bad, I left you alone... I just went to check on her." The Uchiha continued perfectly casual, as if nothing that transpired with the girl never happened.

The blond stopped instantly, wondering how the man could stay so calm and composed after being told that he would soon be a father. What type of blood was running through Sasuke's veins to keep such a cool attitude? He wasn't the one directly impacted by this and it seemed to him that he was more in turmoil by the news than the future father.

"I can be by myself, you don't have to always be with me – How is Sakura doing? I left a shirt for her." Naruto feigned, pulling on another weed, trying to hide that he already knew why she was unwell.

"She's ok. Don't worry about her, she's a doctor. She saw the shirt, I think she must have finished changing by now." Sasuke informed him, in no way portraying the real situation.

The blue eyes turned to the side, needing to see the face of the man who was so easily telling him to not worry. Emotionless. _How could he?_ For a second, Naruto was close to asking his best friend directly, if he really felt nothing for the girl or their baby before he noticed her in the distance, standing at the entrance of the terrace, wearing his overlarge orange shirt. She was adorable. She looked so petite in it, the collar slightly falling on one shoulder, and the length covering her shorts. She was putting her clothes out to dry, her face was calm and no trace of tears remained on her features. Naruto observed her, questioning his sanity, if the conversation from before was somehow just part of his imagination.

Sasuke turned around, following the gaze of his best friend. "See? she's ready." The dark-haired man simply commented as if it was the most normal thing in the word. He stood up, offering a hand to Naruto, and the blond blinked twice, lost in a sort of trance, before accepting his hand and following the man inside, wondering what was going on.

Sasuke passed by Sakura's side as he walked through the door, and whispered her a discreet, "Nice job." Their eyes met for a second, and he smirked at her. That girl was made of steel, he didn't expect her to think to heal her face to mask her puffy red eyes, but through everything, she had some kind of hidden resource within her to keep going. She would have fooled him if he hadn't seen her just moments ago.

Naruto gazed at Sakura as she came inside and sat in her place. She was acting completely unphased, and he couldn't stop himself from asking her how she was doing

"I'm fine, thanks for asking!" She told him, hiding behind a sweet smile, disguising the fact that her heart was beating one hundred miles per second at the prospect of having been discovered.

 _'Another lie.'_ Naruto couldn't exactly pinpoint how he knew, but he instinctively felt something was out of place. What was her real relationship with Sasuke, and why were they keeping him out of their situation? There was just too many things he couldn't wrap his head around.

Their breakfast continued as normal as possible, with a surprisingly light atmosphere and not much happening. Sakura made some small talk, serving Naruto's plate every now and again, accompanied by a maternal "you need your strength to recover," and Naruto let himself get overfed with delicious food, finally relaxed under her care. It would have been easy for the blond to believe that he misheard something, to be completely fooled by the apparent calmness of the moment, as Sasuke didn't demonstrate any particular sign of interest or worry toward his pregnant girlfriend. The man was just basically himself, as unemotional as a stone, like a real hardened shinobi was supposed to be. But Naruto couldn't forget her sad laugh, her trembling voice when telling Sasuke that she planned to keep her baby – it was imprinted deep in his heart. Whatever he wanted to ask about the situation, Naruto bit his tongue, not revealing anything to risk making her feel uncomfortable.

Naruto finished his meal with a satisfied sigh, his hand rubbing his belly. Sakura giggled at his antics, happy to know at least some things didn't change, even if this Naruto was like a stranger to his usual self. She supposed that some part of him were just engraved in his bones, like his natural kindness or some of his old habits. She stood up, taking his plate away before he stopped her.

"Let us! We can take care of it! You've done enough to prepare us such a feast... the least we can do is clean up. Neh, Sasuke?"

The other man watched over the blond and the hand resting on Sakura's wrist. ' _Does he know?'_

"Whatever." Sasuke reluctantly accepted, uneager to get dragged in those cleaning duties. However, if he figured it out, it would be a good opportunity to discover more on how much Naruto was aware of. It was hard for him to read through the blond's behavior, the amnesiac blond being much more reserved and silent than his previous self. But Sasuke assumed that Naruto knew more than what he pretended.

Sakura quickly went to change in the meantime, and as soon as Sasuke was alone, wiping the floor around the table, she joined him, whispering anxiously, "What did you find?"

"Not much, it's hard to tell. He doesn't act like the Naruto we knew." His eyes watched over the kitchen door to avoid being surprised again by the blond. "I could check with my sharingan..." he offered.

She noncommittally shook her head in refusal. "He just started to remember, I don't want to interfere with Ino's work and risk slowing down his recovery." If Naruto knew, so be it. She wouldn't ask him to take any responsibility he didn't want.

Sasuke nodded in understanding, and poked her feet with the broom to signal her of Naruto's presence approaching. Sakura imperceptibly tensed, immediately changing the tone and subject of conversation.

"We should teach him to control his chakra." She casually suggested to the Uchiha as Naruto passed by the door.

"Hn." Sasuke approved in his monosyllable habit, keeping his eyes on her, his attitude neutral.

"Oh Naruto! Would you like to do more training?" Sakura cheerfully offered, feigning ignorance with his arrival.

Naruto finished drying his hands, and dropped the hand towel on top of a nearby chair.

"Yeah, sure."

His blue eyes passed from Sasuke to Sakura, lingering a little longer on her, a feeling of having interrupted something between them settling in the pit of his stomach. Was he a burden having to be taken care of all the time?

"But if you want to rest, I can just practice what you showed me yesterday by myself. You don't have to overwork yourself." Naruto suggested.

Sakura jumped toward him, grabbing his hand in hers and fixating on his oceanic blue eyes. "There is nothing we want more than to help you." She insisted, lightly squeezing his bigger hand.

He felt his hand strangely tingling, the warmth spreading fast through his fingers to his chest. He unintentionally felt a bit more than reasonably troubled at her contact and guiltily retreated his hand, pulling it away to rub the back of his neck instead. Her smile fell at his withdrawal, it was so banal, and there she still took it as a personal rejection. _It hurts..._

His blue eyes averted her gaze, glancing toward the dark-haired man as if searching for his approval. Sasuke was stoic, his hands clutching the broom like the handle of a katana. Naruto's lips tightened in a thin line at the sight. Sasuke was at every second of the day the perfect shinobi. Envious of the man, wishing he could be a little more like him, Naruto ended up nodding, ready to accept whatever it would take to change his fate and return to the path of his former life. That's why half an hour later, they all gathered around a tree on the training ground six.

XXXXXXXX

They were surrounded by large, lengthy trees, and Naruto looked up at the top, struggling to find the sight of the sky in between the branches. The smell of the forest felt familiar. He remembered, he used to come here when he was kid. This scent of soil, wood and fresh grass was the same as the sequence of images playing in his head. He had run out of the village, escaping the glare of the older villagers and fell asleep between the large roots of a giant tree, reassured by the calming sensation that only nature could provide him. At that age, the trees had looked gigantic.

Sakura's sweet voice brought him out of his musings. "Well today, we'll be focusing on tree climbing exercises." she solemnly announced, making Naruto smile cockily at her with his hands on his hips.

"Easy! Dattebayo!"

She smirked, his jovial, possibly overconfident demeanor was exactly the same, it felt so nostalgic, it was like reliving their old days.

"Without using your hands..." she completed the detailed instructions in the same manner Kakashi did for them years ago. Naruto made almost the same facial expression from that time, except that the dorky blond boy had since become a handsome man, making her want to squeal at how cute he looked.

"How?" Naruto questioned, perplexed by the idea.

"Using the chakra at your feet to connect with the surface." Sasuke said, walking on the tree casually as if it had not been vertical, directly demonstrating what Naruto was supposed to do.

Naruto's jaw dropped when seeing Sasuke suspended like a bat at one of the branches. His best friend really was amazing, no wonder Sakura fell for the guy. ' _Sneaky Bastard! So lucky!'_

All Naruto's attention drifted back to the woman at his side, as her soft voice reached his ears. "Do you remember our lesson about chakra the other day? It's almost the same... you have to feel the chakra inside you and then concentrate a small amount of it at your feet. It's not that easy at the beginning, but if you manage to figure it out, you'll be able to learn more advanced jutsu." She explained, her eyes never leaving his face, as to watch for any expression that would remind her of his old self.

"Was I able to do it before?" he asked.

"It was as easy as breathing for you." The pinkette encouragingly said, creasing the material of her shirt between her fingers by her heart with her increasing hope to see him coming back into himself at any second,as if just waking up from a nightmare.

"So if I was able to do it once, I should be able to do it again!" Naruto said, full of forced assurance, but not really sure on how he would proceed. Going through the hand signs he learned the day before, he gathered a small amount of chakra at his feet like she had instructed and then confidently walked forward.

An explosion.

The trunk blasted in a cloud of dust at the impact of his feet, Naruto was propelled backward with a huge force. The massive tree fell in a thunderous rumbling sound, leaving the birds to escape, hastily batting their wings and filling the place with their scared, strident cries. As his perch began to drift downward, Sasuke jumped on the ground with the fluidity of a cat, dodging the large trunk before he could be crushed underneath, while Sakura caught the flying body of Naruto in her arms.

"Are you ok?" Sakura asked worried.

"Yeah..." Naruto sheepishly told her, straightening up and not letting her carry his weight longer. ' _I'm so lame, putting such a strain on her.'_

Automatically going into healer mode, she began to study him to be sure he wasn't injured, while her hands dusted the crumbs of wood off his shoulders. "Sorry, it's my fault, I should have known that with your monstrous chakra reserve, a _little_ would already be too much."

She lost herself in his gaze when she lifted her eyes up to inspect his face, and blushed stupidly. She had inadvertently moved so close to him that she could nearly see each of his long eyelashes and distinguish the subtle nuance of blue in his eyes. She felt his warm breath grazing her face, and set her body aflame, like a blaze. Her cheek heated up, certainly reaching a color close to the pink of her hair, at the thought of going on the tip of her toes to reach his inviting lips for a kiss.

"Try – Try to just feel the tree on your feet." She stuttered dumbly, lost for advice with her short-circuited brain, battling with her raging desires instead of properly thinking. "I – I'm sure your body can remember somehow."

Naruto cluelessly misinterpreted the color of her face for a possible fever. He worriedly leaned forward, reducing the already short distance between them. Their foreheads touched, his own way of checking her temperature, and her whole body trembled in excitement at the contact.

"I think you have a slight fever, Sakura – Do you want to go back home?" Naruto questioned, concern growing over her physical health.

The palpitation of her heart wasn't a very good sign and she feared to faint in the next few moments. What the hell was happening to her? She had never felt so shy around Naruto. What was wrong with her? She was worse than a lovestruck teenager. She was worse than she has ever been. She thought she had overcome such idiotic behavior. She had thought that she was in control of her emotions in regard to Naruto, after so many years of hiding her feelings for the blond under the pretense of their perfect friendship. She had thought many things but none of those assumptions could help her now.

She pushed him away with her two hands, making more reasonable distance, forcing herself to not snake her arms around his torso and flush their bodies together in a desperate need to feel his warmth.

"I'm perfectly fine!" She assured with a crooked smile plastered on her face.

' _A fever? Yeah, the Uzumaki fever!'_ Commented her inner-counterpart, obviously feeling as hot as her.

Sakura clumsily patted his strong shoulder, in an attempt to look friendly, and internally appreciated the firmness of his well developed muscles.

"Go!" She encouraged him to continue his training before her lust filled thoughts of ravaging him against the next tree broke the last of her restraint.

Naruto frowned, reluctant to let her exhaust herself more when she was visibly unwell. He didn't know much about pregnant women, but vomiting and having a fever were certainly not signs of good health. He opened his mouth to argue, but she shoved him away before he could utter the first syllable.

"Just try again, Naruto! I'll sit here and watch over you." She insisted with her deep green vibrant eyes, and he nodded, defeated without even a battle.

How could he hold his ground in front of such a gaze? She was too damn cute for his own good. If only he could finish fast, they would be able go back home to rest. His oceanic irises gave a determined stare in the direction of the tree in front of him and he dashed for it, running at full speed, putting little to no chakra to his feet as they entered in contact with the surface of the trunk.

His speed did the trick, more than the chakra part, so at only two meters high, the gravity reminded him of its inflexible law. As expected, he fell again, experiencing for the second time a bitter failure. He growled at the mild pain on his back and the humiliation of his unsuccessful attempt.

Sasuke squatted at his side, silent and stoic, looking at him with his usual unreadable expression. Naruto straightened up in a sitting position, to be at the same eye level as the man and rubbed his lower back, his nose crinkled as he did so. The sting on his back wasn't much, but his pride – his pride was broken beyond repair, even more that his genius best friend had done the task so easily. It was good that the man didn't show him pity, it would have made him more miserable.

"OK Naruto... focus!" Sasuke's voice rang, distracting Naruto from his previous train of thought. "Too much chakra the tree will break and eject you , Not enough and you'll fall. You have to find the exact amount of chakra to stick to the tree. Slowly increase the quantity of chakra at your feet until they hold, and then keep the flow constant." The dark-haired man taught him.

Naruto frowned to receive this little but _oh so_ _useful_ piece of advice after a handful of failed attempts. "Why didn't you tell me sooner?" _Smart-ass_ he wanted to add, in plain payback for his forever shattered self-esteem.

The Uchiha poked Naruto's forehead. "Because experience is the mistress of fools!" he stated as if it was the most evident thing in the world. A smirk stretched on Sasuke's handsome features, amused with the grumpy expression on the blond's face. He made a note to himself to tease more his _brother_ to have more of those Naruto-like reactions. The light growl the dark-haired shinobi received in response made him laugh internally, and he stood up, extending his hand to help the amnesiac man on his feet.

"I don't need help up, I'm not an old man." Naruto disdainfully mumbled, and pushed himself up in a jolt.

Sasuke shrugged, and pulled a kunai out of his pouch to pass it to the blond. The jinjuriki glanced at the weapon, then at the man. "What is this for? A spare?"

"No. You'll use it to mark your progress, each mark has to be higher than the last."

Naruto snatched the handle, still half sulking. "Next time, I'll throw it at you from the top...ttebayo!"

For any inexperienced observer, the slight amused glint in the Uchiha's eyes would have

went unnoticed, but Sakura knew her boys better than anyone else on earth. She giggled to herself at their interaction, sitting pleasantly on the grass to watch over Naruto's progress. The session would certainly be long, worked up like that, her favorite knuckle-head would double his efforts and completely refuse to give up before he won his personal challenge. She was glad to have thought to bring with her some bentos in preparation of such an eventuality.

Naruto began his continuous rise and fall activity, and after a while Sasuke came to take the place by her side, in his customary fashionable silence. His general posture was more or less relaxed, his forearms resting on the top of his knees and his hands joined in his lap nonchalantly. The pinkette spared him a brief glance, her eyes returning to her amnesiac boyfriend. ' _Odd.'_ Sasuke didn't come near her from his own free-will without any confrontational purpose since the incident. Actually, he'd done nothing more than push her away from their life since then.

She winced as a thud resonated a little bit louder than the others with one of the blond's falls, and noticed Sasuke using the opportunity to imperceptibly shift his gaze toward her, assessing something. Considering Sasuke's level of communication, she asked her question directly, as she knew he would never tell her otherwise.

"What brings you over here?" her tone was low to stay discreet, but not harsh or uninviting, a pure and simple, _sane,_ whatever sane could mean in the ninja world, curiosity.

His eyes drifted to the side, avoiding hers, his fingers tensing slightly at the same time as the muscles of his jaw clenched. "Are you – unwell?" Sasuke mumbled reservedly.

"I already told you, I'm not sick." She hissed in a whisper, annoyed by his insistence, thinking he was still trying to chase her away.

He was uncomfortable, she could see it. The _Great_ Uchiha fidgeted his fingers anxiously. "Naruto said you had a fever – So..."

"So? he is no doctor." Sakura stated to close the conversation, her gaze back to following her lover.

"Sakura."

"What is it now?" she sighed exasperated.

"I'm sorry."

Her head turned so fast toward the man, that a pop of her neck accompanied the movement. She blinked, lost for words as his onyx irises fixated on her. _Sasuke Uchiha_ had apologized – He was honest, giving the apology all of his weight. She felt a rush of tears wanting to invade her eyes.

' _Damn hormones!'_ She couldn't have any form of emotion without weeping her eyes out more and more often. She even had to lie to her mother this morning, and tell her she was just cutting some onions when she found her crying in the kitchen over nothing.

"Baka." Sakura mumbled, her voice quivering dangerously. ' _Don't cry Haruno! Don't!'_

Sasuke opened his mouth, and closed it, still searching for his words. She wasn't making it easy for him with her watery eyes. "You" He averted his eyes. "-You can count on me if you need me." He coughed in his hand while saying it to hide his embarrassment.

A small grateful smile ghosted over her lips, it was like having a truce in their rattled friendship, as if he finally forgave her for Naruto's accident. A heavy weight lifted from her heart, and she hastily dried a disobedient tear escaping on her left cheek with her hand.

"I know." She muttered, touched by the gesture. She couldn't stay mad at him, she completely understood his previous anger. "We're teammates!"

Naruto was known to be clumsy _and_ stubborn... and he did fail, a lot. But he refused to lose. After a particularly high fall, he decided to change his approach technique, closing his eyes, he put one foot on the trunk and let his chakra flow freely to get a feel of the tree, like Sakura said. He didn't try to force anything, he just let it be. Feel what felt right. Slowly, like naturally finding it's place, his chakra spread across the soles of his feet, and sensed the different surface. He could feel the soil underneath him on his right foot, and the trunk with his left. He was connected! Then he diligently applied Sasuke's advice, going one step after the other, keeping a tight concentration on his chakra. He didn't need to open his eyes to know where he was going.

Naruto walked up until his feet met a branch, and he continued on it, his head upside-down. When he was satisfied with the distance he reached on it, he opened his eyes, a big smile on his face, proud of his accomplishment. The smile faltered, and his kunai flew faster than a thought could be produced by his brain. The blond knew it was childish and undeserved, but his hand had already done his deed without letting his brain put some reason to it upon seeing Sasuke and Sakura so cozy together chatting happily on the grass. He had no right over her, Sasuke was the father of her child, but his guts were churning and his heart overruling all common sense.

The kunai landed straight at Sasuke's feet, precisely in the middle of them. If only he had made that consciously, he would have been proud of himself, but again, it was more on an instinct than with any proper thought to it. Naruto was kind of apologetic, but at least he interrupted their conversation.

The couple looked toward him, a beautiful smile blooming on Sakura's face and the corner of the Uchiha's lips lifting up even so slightly.

"You learned faster than I thought you would!" Sasuke teased, as he sought out a old fashioned response from his blond friend.

Naruto crossed his arms in defiance. Nope, he was not that sorry after all. "Who do you think I am? I am Naruto Uzumaki!" he proclaimed, pointing at his chest with his thumb. He will come back to all his glory and make his best friend have a real sparring match with him in no time.

Sakura jumped on her feet and ran underneath the tree, her smile growing bigger as he boisterously called himself with his full name. "You did it! I was so sure you could!"

Her eyes danced with joy as she stared up at him, and Naruto forgot this damn concentration thing as he stupidly drowned in her gaze. It took not more than a second, and already the connection faded. He panicked, knowing that a free fall was what would happened next. His body contorted, and his arms reached toward the branch in an ultimate hope to grab it before the descent. ' _Oh no!'_

"Usuratonkashi!" The name escaped the Uchiha's lips in realization of the blond ineluctable fall.

"Naruto!" Sakura screamed, extending her arms forward in an attempt to catch him, and sighed the next second seeing her dark-haired teammate materialized on the same branch, holding Naruto's foot to prevent the blond from crashing down.

"What did you call me, you _bastard!_?" Naruto angrily shouted, glaring darkly at his best friend for the nickname, ignoring the fact that the said man was actually saving his sorry ass.

Sasuke laughed out loud at Naruto's expression, nearly to the point of holding his ribs. It was so good! So good to be called _bastard_ in this manner. If he had known that such a simple word could make him feel closer to having his eternal rival back, he would have called him _Dobe_ or _Usuratonkashi_ the very first day.

Sakura was startled, hearing the nonchalant male voice at her side greeting them. Her old teacher had not lost his skills in stealth. "Kakashi-sensei! What are you doing here?"

"Well – Can't I come and hang out with my lovely former students?" Kakashi said jokingly. The corner of his eyes creased as a sign of the smile under his mask, his gaze then turned upward toward the two men of his former team. "Oh, I see! You're trying to recreate some situation of our past to help him remember." he commented with humor.

Sasuke jerked the blond up, catching him around his torso, before jumping back on the ground with him to release him in safety. The Uchiha gave a nod of the head toward the gray-haired man, ignoring the pout on Naruto's lips by his side.

"We were teaching him some more techniques, it could be in handy in case it takes more time for Ino to do her job."

Kakashi nodded appreciatively. "That's a clever idea! A ninja is never ready enough, better if he can fight for himself."

Naruto tilted his head to the side, reading the name on the cover of the book Kakashi was reading, while the gray-haired man talked with Sasuke. A bright smile sprouted on Naruto's face in recognition.

"Oh man! I know this book!"

Kakashi looked toward the orange covered book in his hand, and chuckled lightly. "You remember this book? That's great! Was it in the memories you recollected yesterday?" He inquired, pleased with the visible improvement.

"No! I read it... I have the same at home!" Naruto innocently stated, letting the hair at the back of Sasuke and Kakashi's neck stand in fear at the comment. The two men glanced frightfully toward the kunoichi, Naruto blissfully unaware of the danger behind him.

"You have it?" The sweet tone of her voice would have alerted him of the imminent risk he incurred, if he were still himself, but not in his amnesiac state, who was clueless of her temper.

Naruto was close to opening his mouth and certainly say the biggest mistake of all his life, when Sasuke sent him a strong enough elbow in the ribs to shut him down. "Yeah – We have 'the gutsy ninja' from the same author at home." his best friend saved him.

Naruto was ready to deny, knowing nothing about that other book, when Kakashi began to laugh exaggeratedly, rubbing the back of his head awkwardly. "hahaha! What a coincidence! It's easy to mistake them..."

Sakura walked around to face the two men at the same time, and glared darkly at each one of them. "The cover of the gutsy ninja is gray!" she declared, jade eyes fixing on Kakashi, the infamous master in sweet-talk. She had read Naruto's copy once and placed it herself in the shelf of the bookcase in his living room when he moved in his new house.

The Hokage gulped, in prevision of her wrath. "Sorry,boy..." he mumbled to Naruto.

Then she looked at her teammate, knowing well that Sasuke must never have read such a pervy literature, the Uchiha heir being interested only in weapon, jutsu and military tactic books. She however had snatched a copy of the kinky book from Naruto's hand once, and browsed quickly through the content to decide what should become of it.

The pinkette smirked, holding the gaze of the unflinching Uchiha. "Jiraya-sensei's name is only inside the back cover." She informed him, pointing out the mistake in his alibi.

Sasuke stopped her, grabbing her arm before she ended up killing the blond man. "He has kept them because they are from his late sensei, nothing more." he was making up the excuse, remembering Naruto's blabber about 'The gutsy ninja' being a precious book to him because it was written by his mentor.

Her eyes flipped over to the last, unknowing, criminal. The frown on his blond eyebrows and his perplexed expression screamed that he had absolutely no clue what was going on. Where was the point of getting angry if he actually couldn't remember his lie?He'd told her that he got rid of the books when she had scolded him about falling in the same decadence as Kakashi. Her anger deflated, more sad than really ready to beat him up at the memories of their old time. Her eyes tingled with the sensation of tears coming up. ' _Not again!'_ She thought. Her gaze abandoned him, to not indulge herself more in the nostalgic feeling. She convinced herself that boys will be boys, and she would not be able to change it, even if she plummeted him to the ground with her fist.

" _That's_ a better excuse." Sakura begrudgingly accepted for her teammate to make him release her arm, her eyes not leaving the ground, as if fascinated by the grass at Naruto's feet..

Sighing in relief, Kakashi stepped forward toward Naruto, seizing the opportunity to change the subject. "So now that that misunderstanding is cleared, would you like me to teach you one of your most infamous techniques?" he friendlily offered.

"Aren't you the Hokage? Don't you have other things to do?" Naruto questioned dubiously.

"Yeah! But I was your teacher and I need to talk to your teammates for a while."

"And you have the time to do both?"

"Perfectly!" The gray haired man made a hand sign and an exact copy of himself popped to life at his side. "This is the kage bunshin jutsu, your favorite technique. My clone will show you how to do it and I'll talk with them. Is that ok with you?"

Naruto eagerly nodded his head like bobblehead, excited to learn such an awesome jutsu. Kakashi's clone lead him a little farther away to train, under the stern look of the two other members of team seven.

"You didn't come here, just for courtesy or to teach him anything, did you?" Sakura inquired, as sharp as usual.

"You're right! I came here because some unexpected events arose, many riots have exploded in villages near the South border, and I have a hunch that they are connected with this whole talisman affair." He told them gravely. He noticed them both tensing at the news, aware that the subject was still very sensible. "Sakura, you'll have to go with Sai and calm the rampage, using violence if needed – Sasuke, you'll stay with Naruto to protect him."

"I'll go!" Sasuke interjected.

Kakashi frowned, not having expected this kind of reaction from the dark-haired shinobi. He chose to send Sakura as she would have abode to her duty more easily than the rebel Uchiha, and teaming her with Sai was less dangerous for Sai's survival.

"You don't want to stay with Naruto?" Kakashi insisted.

"I will go. She can stay." Sasuke affirmed, not wanting her to go in a battle in her state. She should be safe with Naruto and their baby inside Konoha walls.

"Sai will be your partner..." Kakashi trailed, knowing the affection the two men have for each other.

"I know the most about this talisman – And if I cross paths with this dark matter again. I will destroy it!" The Uchiha declared, anger seeping in his tone at the mention of the dark matter.

Kakashi understood the natural avenger nature of the Uchiha, however something... something was odd, call it his intuition or the flair of an old shinobi, but he was sure that there was something more to it. "If it is your choice... but don't harm Sai during your mission! We're already short on ninja!"

"When should I leave?"

"Sai will be back from his previous mission by the end of the afternoon. You will leave by nightfall together."

Sasuke nodded, and Kakashi lifted his hand to salute them. "Say goodbye to Naruto, I'm going back to my office to deal with more crappy paperwork." He exaggeratedly sighed, "Oh Kami! I wish so much he would recover fast enough to take that job from me." he whined, hiding being this false excuse his real concern for Naruto, and disappeared in a puff, leaving his former students to join their teammate in his training.

 **PLEASE DO NOT FORGET TO REVIEW. REVIEW ARE MY MOTIVATION**


	16. Chapter 16

**THANKS TO ZERO 10 FOR BETA READING THE CHAPTER**

 _sinedd662: thanks_

 _kevin Duarte 2000: later on, you will see why I did that. Thank you_

 _Yojimbra: I don't respond to review because I want to have more words in my chapter, I respond to review because I want to be polite and grateful to those who write a review to me. I don't care for the length of the chapters or the story. They are already longer compare to what I do usually and this story is longer than "How I fell in love" even if it is not finished yet. Sorry if you find my characters OOC, for the drama or how bad my story is. I am not as good as you. It might seems to you that those chapters are just filler, but I actually have put some thoughts behind them and place some details that I found interesting. I am not doing some basic smut, so sorry there is a story first. Thank you for your opinion I always find it interesting to read what people think of my work._

 _eight heroes: Naruto will be angry but not before a while (chap 25), so please bear with my slow development story. I hope you will still enjoy it. Thank you for your support._

 _narusakufanficfan1: I have called this story all over again for a reason. I wanted to show how Naruto would fall in love with Sakura all over again. I hope you will like it. Thank you._

 _alphadark19: Thank you very much! It is so reassuring that you like my characters development. I hope you will like what will happen of them._

 _WindyCitySlayer1: Thank you for your support!_

 _Kimiss: The rule of drama is when Something can go wrong, it will. Thank you for your support!_

 _Jaehee Kang: How great! I am so happy that you like narusaku in this story. Thank you very much! I hope you will continue to like it._

 _Aqua Rules: Thank you very much! I like the bond Naruto and Sasuke have after is redemption. I find that it was a waste to not develop it more._

 _maxslayer10: Ohh you are right Sakura is lusting after her amnesiac boyfriend. I find it fun to torture them more with their lust, before letting them have it. I hope you will like it. Thank you!_

 _Guest: this losing memory is all about this story. There will be part of memory recovery slowly and evolution in Relationship Narusaku. Please bear with my slow pace. If you just want me to call it an end, it is not possible unfortunately._

 _phhsdj: misunderstanding even as big or bigger happen all the time in real life. I find them wonderful as it can develop a whole succession of event based on it and all more stupid than the first misunderstanding. I will let you enjoy it (I hope). Thank you for your support!_

 _slasher: thank you!_

 _iKONO: Thank you so much for your kind words! I didn't read that fanfiction, I didn't had the time to read since a while now. have a great day and year!_

 _YeagerMeister31: Thank you very much for being here. I hope you will continue to like it._

 _katus293: We will have indeed more time alone with Naruto and Sakura. He would remember some things too ;) Thank you for your support!_

 _HITMAN0569: Thank you_

 _ThatPageantGirl: Their time alone will arrive soon, but not exactely in this chapter. I hope you will like it._

 _tini tanaka: I am so glad to elicit this type of reaction. I wanted this story to have its emotional moment. Thank you!_

 _dpmaragoni: He will come out of his amnesia but at a slow pace, with each souvenir bringing to him some kind of reaction. I hope you will like it. Thank you for your support._

 _ **HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE! MY BEST WISHES TO ALL OF YOU!** _

_**Chapter 15: Like Sake and Violet**_

The training continued for hours. Naruto was taking only short breaks to gobble the bento Sakura had offered him. The jinchuriki practiced his cloning jutsu, relentlessly trying the multiple hand seals to figure the right proportion of chakra needed without much success. The blond head jerked up as Sakura finally called the day, and the Hokage's clone at his side disappearing in a puff of smoke. They still had to go to the hospital for Naruto's daily treatment with Ino, and the idea of it wasn't thrilling to him.

With some apprehension of what he might discover today, but determined to recover fast, the amnesic blond entered the treatment room, where the sexy blond woman was waiting for him. The clear blue eyes tracked him until he sat on the examining table in front of her. For a minute, none of them dared to speak. She was still uncomfortable after witnessing his terrible childhood and felt compassionate for his pain, while he prepared himself for another traumatic session.

Ino's voice was soft when she finally addressed him, gently squeezing his hand. "How are you feeling today?" She inquired, subtly evaluating his state of mind before invading his sea of memories.

Naruto's cerulean blue eyes briefly looked at her small hand holding his own, feeling her warmth on his skin. It was just so reassuring. Maybe, his sentiment for Sakura was just all about this. He was scared and needed to be reassured, an emotion to compensate for the dullness in his mind, something to get attached to and not feel lost or alone.

He scratched his cheek with his other hand, wondering if he passed more time with her, would he feel all fuzzy like he was around Sakura? "I am ok – I guess..."

"No headache? Dizziness?"

Naruto shook his head; a small smile on his face at her kind concern.

"No new memory ?"

Ino never have been one to shy out when it comes to digging some nasty or crusty information. She had interrogated many people, depending whether it was just for work or for fun, to learn what was hidden behind the facade, to be the one to know their deepest secrets. However, for once, after examining a close friend like Naruto, a brave and kind person, their idiot of future Hokage, the guy who had walked around with his heart on his sleeves and an eternal smile on the face, she wished to avoid to pry more in his painful memories.

The corner of his lips drooped drastically, replacing the tender curve by a stern line. Naruto's expression was all she need to know that she will have to enter his mind again. She squeezed his hand again, and feigned a cheerful smile.

"I'm sure we will dig out some nice moments today!"

Naruto nodded, accepting whatever he has to do to return back to his former life. As he had done several times before, he closed his cerulean eyes and prepared himself. Ino observed his face for a few seconds, realizing that she never really looked at him before. He had been for so long over-shadowed by the unnatural beauty of his black-haired teammate that she never took the time to judge him on an aesthetic aspect.

Naruto was far from being ugly. How did she miss it for this long? Naruto sure had been scrawny and dorky as a kid, but now... now, he clearly was a prime choice of meat. Her gaze slowly distinguished his face, his tense masculine jaw, his shapely full lips, the straight line of his nose, his eyelids crowned with generous blond eyelashes, and even his unruly hair. She smiled, noticing the blond mane spiking in all direction. It's been years since he had been letting his hair grow , and a little more and he would be the exact replica of the Fourth Hokage. He was good looking, he was kind, and if he come back to himself, he is their future Hokage. _A very fine man indeed... a very fine man_. Maybe, she shouldn't be that picky about blond men.

Ino searched for something to ask Naruto to concentrate to. She knew she had a wonderful hint about what to do from Shika last night, but she had been so drunk that she couldn't remember at all what it was. She had just woken up in her bed in the morning, a bruise on her beautiful face, and no clear recollection of the event from the moment she left the bar with her teammate. God! She had been so mad at herself to get herself drunk to that extent, and at him to not have prevented her fall. What type ninja was he to not have caught her? Or did those years passed with his lazy butt on chair as the Hokage's assistant have dulled all his reflex? Anyway, he would hear from her the next time she saw him. Thanks to his clumsiness, she had to pull a henge to hide the ugly bump on her fabulous forehead.

She thought a moment more. _Hokage_... The blond man has always wanted to become Hokage. There must be something nice being it to be such strong motivation for him. "What Hokage mean to you?" Ino finally tried, immediately forming the seal of her jutsu to see the reaction from inside.

She gasped, entering his realm. She didn't expect to still have the memories from the previous session lingering around the dark space. Was the mechanism of his brain so shattered that he couldn't deal with them? was his memories storage inaccessible? Did they stay here the whole time? How bad it must have been for him?

She heard his thoughts about the Hokage, and panicked as she should be doing her extraction too. But top priority, she had to fold all his previous memories and store them somewhere else. Hastily, she rolled the sequence like a scroll and tried to find some access into the most recent activated part of his memory. She pushed around a little. Inside was already dozen hundreds of new memories, folded and organized with keywords to open them. Her eyes gleamed with curiosity, one day she would take the time to peek at one of those new ones, one day but not now, she repeated herself placing on the mental storage her scroll-like sequence.

Naruto on his end tried to focus on the thought of the Hokage. But actually, that didn't mean much to him. He didn't even know what the Hokage was doing exactly. _Hokage is... the boss? Hokage is... pff... Kakashi? Hokage..._ He wasn't going far with all that. Sasuke told him he wanted to be one since he was kid. His father was Hokage too... Did he wanted to be Hokage to be just like his father? _Hokage is... What is an Hokage?_ He tried to think about it for a bit with nothing happening, and Ino woke him up, gently shaking his shoulder.

"We didn't have much success with this one. Let's breathe and try another thing. I have also stored away what we had previously found to not let it bother you any longer. You should have told me – You should have come to me – I could have help you with it! I am here for you, we all are here for you! You are not alone in this!" Ino insisted, tightening her grip on his shoulder to make him understand that she cared.

Naruto lips parted. He was indeed feeling better without the constant bugging of his childhood souvenirs, and being told that he wasn't alone was comforting. Ino definitely was a nice and kind woman. "Thank you! But, ya know – I was – ah – confused yesterday, and – afraid that you – you might hate me like them." He finished his sentence embarrassed, coughing in his hand and carefully avoiding looking at her face.

The blond woman affectionately patted his head, bringing back the cerulean blue eyes on her. "Nobody hate you, and certainly not me!" She affirmed with a seductive smile and a wink.

Naruto smiled gratefully, clueless as ever on the visible effort of flirting. She sighed in defeat, going back to her job. Naruto was a hard case, the man was as dense as a rock.

They continued the session for another two hours to grasp different things like training, view from the Hokage monument, and even gardening. None of them worked, as Ino finally called it a day and accompanied him to the door, offering to give him advice about gardening. Naruto was feeling at ease with her, and a smile adorned his face when he reached the corridor with her.

Sakura immediately glared at the blond woman, wh0 is supposed to be her best friend. What was she doing with Naruto to make him smile like that? And what about this accomplice air about them? If she didn't new Ino better and her clear aversion for blonde guys, the blonde woman having told her that she couldn't date a man who shared a similar hair color with her father, Sakura would have thought that Ino-Pig was trying to flirt with her amnesic boyfriend. Not that Ino knew he was.

"Forehead!" Ino sang upon seeing her friend there. She was happy to see that the pinkette had recovered some more healthy color since Naruto was discharged. It was a relief that she overcame the stress of the incident and its complication.

"Pig." Sakura greeted back, but it sounded more like a growl than a greeting.

Ino looked at her curiously, and the visible sign of her wrath. It has been several years since she was at the receiving end of such a glare. Her baby blue eyes passed at the discreet figure leaning against the wall, Sasuke Uchiha. The man had been the object of their childhood rivalry, the reason behind all of their fights. But it was no more the case, both of them have completely given up on him after the war. Shortly after he left, they made peace over a memorable drinking party, the first of their adult life, but certainly not the last, swearing to never fight again over a man.

Sakura and Ino had turned eighteen at that time, and had buried whatever lingering feeling they had for the guy over long girls talk on how unworthy potential husband he was for them. The Uchiha was good looking, but with the worst mood swings ever. He was powerful, but the guy couldn't stay at the same place for more than a few months. The Uchiha was good looking... Did I mention it already? Ok, he wasn't a bad guy anymore, but he was still far from the best choice in term of companionship.

Ino brushed her long ponytail behind her, not impressed by her best friend's unwarranted temper. Sakura was frightening at times for some people, her interns mostly, but it never had the slightest effect on her. She proudly approached the pinkette, and leaned toward her, her luscious lips brushing the side of her ear.

"Are you still angry at me for leaving last time without debriefing, _boss_?" Ino teased in a sultry voice, insisting on her title. She had heard the nurse complaining over it, but she couldn't help but make fun of Sakura by calling her boss, and not treating her as such.

"No. I'm **not**."

The difference between Sakura's tone and her choice of words was blatant, which earned more of Ino's giggles. "I see! You're in your period. Bad day huh?" She joked.

Sakura would have strangled her, if it weren't for Sasuke moving from his place and grabbing Naruto by the arm. "Come here! It might get ugly soon. Let's go back home?" The dark-haired shinobi pulled Naruto along. Sakura's wrath was infamous among her peers, and some collateral damage might _inevitably_ occur in the process. "Can you walk?" He inquired, to assess whether Naruto was in daze from his last session.

Sakura snapped at her teammate, momentarily forgetting Ino's tease. She didn't want to be left behind. "Hey! Wait for me!"

"I don't have the time. I have to go to the Hokage's office, remember?" Sasuke replied plainly, dragging his _brother_ away from those crazy women.

"You're going at the Hokage's office?" It was a great opportunity to find out what was the activities of a Hokage. "Can I come with you?" Naruto asked.

"Yeah sure, but after that you will have to stay at home with Sakura. I have to go on a mission." Sasuke told the blond.

 _The Hokage – Shikamaru._ "Wait! I'm coming with you guys. I have some business to do there too. It would be more fun going all together." Ino invited herself, running along the group, the tapping of her high heels resonating through the corridor of the hospital like a melody.

XXXXXXX

There were very few things which scared Shikamaru, since he has made a point to plan everything in advance in his life to avoid bad surprises. But there was one thing that stayed unpredictable to him. Women. And right now, two of the most dangerous women of all Konoha had barged into his office.

He hid behind the huge stack of papers on his desk, hoping to not attract the attention of any of them as they dealt with the Hokage. All his hope vanished the next instant, as the gorgeous Ino stood right in front of him, her palms resting on the wooden plate of his desk.

"You're the one I was looking for." Her charming voice sounded like the worst threat on earth to him.

 _Trouble!_

"Hmm. Ino, not right now – ah – We're terribly busy with here – with some important mission." Shikamaru lied, searching an excuse to escape the unpredicted predicament, as he shuffled the papers in his hands.

Her delicate, perfectly manicured hand roughly grabbed his collar, bringing his face closer to her. "We. Talk. Now!" She uttered each syllable to make it clear for him so that it doesn't leave a room for any argument.

His scared eyes passed from her bewitching crystal blue gaze to her irresistible lovely lips. The same lips, she kissed him with the previous night. He gulped, tearing his eyes away from the unaffordable temptation.

"Huh – Ino." He tried and failed, as she tightened her grip on his shirt, their nose clearly touching, and he shivered at the imminent trouble.

"You owe me! Now is now!" She declared, pulling him with her into the corridor.

He was doomed and he knew it. He followed her outside, wondering what would come next, his eyes already searching for any escape route from her ire. They had kissed, and he then let her fall down, two things which might cost him his life. But the second one seemed to have been taken care of. Ino really did improve her healing skill as not even a scratch was visible, while he thought that only someone at Tsunade or Sakura level could erase an overnight wound to that extent.

Shikamaru jerked in wariness when she spun on her heels and almost into face him once they were in a more secluded place. His throat tightened as she pinned him with her gaze, her arms menacingly crossed over her breasts. She was pissed. Was she that furious over the kiss? She was the one who instigated it. If he directly defended himself about it, it would mean that he felt guilty about it. If he feigned that he wasn't bothered by it, she could think he view it as a normal interaction between two very old friends.

 _OK, old friends don't kiss on the mouth._ _This option doesn't work._

The other possibility was to distract her and pray that she forgets about that little intimacy last night. And if it didn't work, he could play that he was the one offended, even if it wasn't such a disagreeable experience. _Kami! O women are troublesome!_

He rubbed the back of his head, searching for the best way to get her out of his back, and she ruined his plan, cutting him before he could even make his first move. "Dare to tell me how you became so lame to let me fall yesterday? I woke up this morning with the worst headache of my life, and a bruise which could match the purple of my outfit." Ino growled angry. "God! I looked so terrible that I had to use an henge to keep up the appearance!" She lifted her arms in the air in her rage.

"Henge?" Shikamaru repeated incredulous. Using so much chakra for an henge, just to keep her perfect look. _What a drag!_

"Yeah! An henge! And it's all your fault." She pointedly poked her exquisite red painted nail index finger into his chest. "Your fault! So you owe me." She declared as if she had exposed an evidence.

Shikamaru wasn't born yesterday. He guessed that she was trying to manipulate him in doing something for her without asking for a favor. Actually the odd seemed incredibly in his favor as she didn't mention at all the kiss, and was ready to forget her bruise in exchange of something. It was trouble, but still better than what he expected. Women really were capricious creatures.

"What do you want from me?" He conceded.

"You see, it's about Naruto." Ino suddenly looked more quiet and timid saying the village hero name.

 _What's about Naruto again?_ He wasn't jealous, he never been. But two days in a row, she came to him about the same guy, while she _did_ kiss him unscrupulously. Since when was she infatuated with the blond? Was it a new kind of epidemic? The Hokage's office was already full of love letters and get well soon gifts addressed to the future Hokage in line.

"What Naruto! I already told you yesterday..."

"Yeah it's about yesterday..." She pinched the bridge of her nose to admit that she was so drunk that she forgot what they talked about. "It's kind of blurry..." She cringed, mortified.

"Blurry? Blurry like what?" Shikamaru interrogated her, his eyes scrutinizing her. _Don't tell me she blacked out on what happened, on our kiss..._

"OK! Yeah! I don't remember much." Ino confessed.

"What! How can you forget our kiss!" Shikamaru blurted offended. He did it. Shikamaru Naru, named the ' _Genius'_ did it himself. He let his emotions drift him to disclose a top-secret information. It was certainly the worst strategic move to keep himself unharmed. He could have shut his mouth, play in her drunken oblivion and bury forever this unethical event. But no, as all men, his man's pride talked for himself. She had forgotten about kissing him and was asking him to help her get another man. _No way!_

"Our – kiss?" Saying that she was in shock was an understatement. She was in complete denial. Nothing like that could have ever happened. She, Ino Yamanaka, on her life, even under despair or reaching the age of thirty without being married, would never go as low as kissing her lazy teammate... not even on his death bed as his ultimate wish! What a nonsense! Maybe he had a death wish instead? "What are you talking about! It's not possible!" She refused "I would never let you kiss me!"

"You kissed me!" Yup, he was digging his grave. He knew he should have shut up his traps. He knew, but instead he lit up a cigarette, full of defiance.

Ino gasped, miffed, bringing her hand on her heart as if she was hurt. "Oh, dare you lie to me! _I_ would never do that." She accused, snatching his cigarette away and mashing it under the tip of her left shoe.

Women were dangerous, he always knew it. Her gaze was aflame, her body was trembling with fury. But he couldn't stop himself to remark that she was fantastic when pushed at the brick of her rage.

"Not a lie." Shikamaru simply blurted, pulling another cigarette out of his pack, and bringing it to his lips, while looking at her with his usual boredom attitude. "You tasted like sake – sake and violet. Do you eat those flowers of yours?" If he had to be embarrassed by what _she_ did, she has to be embarrassed too, he decided. It was only fair to share the burden between teammates, even if he doubted that teammates were supposed to kiss.

That little piece of information he let slip off had it's effect on her. She immediately turned red, and she certainly must have bitten her tongue off, as the boisterous Ino Yamanaka was dead silent. _Checkmate!_ He never went over to try a direct confrontation with the girl, but what a glorious feeling to have her speechless. He released a puff of smoke, lazily staring at the cloud forming. _What a glorious feeling!_

His brown gaze shifted toward her to see her squirming around uncomfortable, her eyes set on the planning board on the wall. She knew it was true. She indeed took a violet potion to soothe her restlessness after her session with Naruto before indulging herself in sake for its stronger effect. Shikamaru smirked letting the ashes fall at his feet. _You want Naruto? Let me remind you a crucial detail..._ He snickered internally.

"-And for Naruto? As I told you yesterday, you have no chance with him." He pulled onto his cigarette again, enjoying the effect of the nicotine on his system and letting the information sink in. "The only girl he ever loved had always been Sakura, and Sakura only. As far as I know, you lost!"

It was a nasty blow, and he didn't need to finish her up in her dumbstruck state. But just to be sure that she didn't come back again with her sprouting interest in the blond, he needed to put a clear end to it. As a friend – Yeah as a friend, it was his duty. He was doing it only because they were friends and he cared for her, even if she was troublesome most of the time.

"So – I'm going back to work. If you want more information about Naruto, just ask Sakura instead. She knows everything about him, from his blood type to the most insignificant detail about his life." He patted her shoulder as he walked by her. She didn't move, and he nearly felt bad for her. But from his part, the confrontation ended up in better term than all he could have imagined.

XXXXXXXX

Sasuke walked straight in front of Kakashi's desk without paying a care to anything else in the room, while Naruto leisurely trailed behind him, his eyes wandering around in his quest to find something familiar. The blond strayed closer to the wall, in front of a row of pictures. _The Hokages_.

"Tsunade!" He exclaimed surprised, noticing her photography next to one of Kakashi's.

"Yeah, she was our previous Hokage." Sakura said, sticking closer to him.

"Is it a recent photo?"

"No. I think the picture was taken on the inauguration day when she became the Hokage."

"A long time ago?"

"Yep! Something like – hmm – nine years ago, or so."

"What? But she looks the same as now."

If her master knew what she was going to do, she might have killed her. But Naruto was a little too fascinated by her mentor's breasts to not give him some insight about the real situation. "She used an henge, she is way much older than us." She let slip innocently.

"Old like what?"

"Old like your grand-mother." If her master ever heard of what she said, she would be smashed into smithereens for sure.

"No way!" Naruto was completely baffled, as Sakura nodded, confirming her answer, guiltiness eating her consciousness.

Naruto grumbled something for himself before he looked at the next picture.

"My dad?" He muttered, shoving his finger in direction of the next one. The guy looked the same as him, but the name didn't quite match. _Namikaze. Minato Namikaze._

"Yes."

"I knew it. We have the same hair." Naruto said pulling on one of his long locks, so similar to those in the picture. "And the eyes too!" He added proudly. His father was an Hokage. It could have been why he had wanted to be one too.

Sakura smiled at him, finding his childish enthusiasm cute.

"Why don't we have the same name?" Naruto inquired.

"I'm not sure... something about a way to protect you when you were a kid. At least, this was what the council had explained when they made official announcement that you were his son."

"What type of man my father was?"

"I don't know much about him, except for the tale the adult used to say when we were young. He died when you were just a baby, and I saw his reanimated form only once during the last war. But he was nearly as tall as you, a kind man, strong too, and he deeply loved you." Sakura recounted what little she remembered of the man.

"He loved me..." Naruto said elated, and then he frowned realizing something odd. "Reanimated you said?"

"Hmm – Yeah. Reanimated."

"Can we reanimate him once more?"

"Hmm – No we can't. It's a forbidden jutsu, and it need a live human sacrifice for it."

"Ahh? Who did that? Who sacrificed people to bring back dead?" Naruto shouted disgusted, realizing that someone must have been sacrificed to reanimate his dad.

"A crazy guy called Orochimaru."

"And did he reanimate my mom too? Did I saw her too?" Naruto knew it was bad, that sacrificing others for his dear one was just horrible. But he wished somehow to have met her at least once.

"No, he didn't. But you had told me that you've met her spirit as your father have sealed a part of her chakra within you to guide you. You told me that she was beautiful, with very long red straight hair."

Naruto nodded appreciatively at her narration and tried to imagine the woman who gave him birth. "Long hair are the best!"

Sakura felt terribly self-conscious with her short hair, discovering that Naruto might have a thing for long hair. He never told her about that. Actually, she had thought that Naruto never pay much attention to girls' look, except for the breasts part that proves that he was undeniably a man. She sighed in despair, realizing that she was the only one amongst their group of friends with short hair. Ino, Hinata and even Tenten were graced with very fine feminine attribute. Maybe, she should let her hair grow again?

From the corner of his cerulean eyes, Naruto noticed Ino pulling the guy behind the other desk away. He had met him in the hospital. The guy had told him his name twice, during each of his visit in fact, but he wasn't sure he remembered or had mentally noted.

"Is she dating this guy?" Naruto asked Sakura, leaning a bit toward her so as to not be heard by anyone but her.

His earthy masculine scent invaded her nostrils, awakening in her some scorching desire. She was this close to developing a fetish for his perfume. Since the beginning of her pregnancy, her sense of smell has extraordinary improved. If it continued at this rate, she might become as good as Kiba by the time she gives birth. Already a whole range of insignificant things created fulgurant reactions in her, from the unbearable nausea for the slightest steam of coffee, to the stomach flip that any form of smoke could cause. But Naruto! Naruto's smell was by far the most powerful fragrance to her. He could just pass by her and her heart rate would rise at an incredible pace. If he leaned toward her, her legs becomes all jelly-like and squishy, and if she dared to let her nose roam over his skin, she was sure she would faint the very next second in his strong arms. _Damn hormones!_ Just the thought of her man has driven her all crazy, and she could feel the fire in her lower belly, the insufferable craving for his touch building up more and more.

The pinkette snapped back to reality before doing something unthinkable. Befuddled, she followed his gaze, noting Ino drag a very unwilling Shikamaru outside. There was never anything between the member of Team Ten as far as she knew, and pulling the man by his collar was nothing out of the ordinary. However, it was a perfect opportunity to eliminate any interest Naruto might harbor for the blond . Naruto was the epitome of the nice guy and would without doubt withdraw, if the girl was already in couple. Hadn't he given up on her thinking that she was into Sasuke after all?

"Shikamaru?" Sakura played innocent. "She might be. They are cute together." Nothing of what she said was a direct lie. She just didn't deny the possibility.

"Oh – Yeah. They look good." Naruto approved a slight note of disappointment in the voice as he returned to his visit of the Hokage's office, the couple having disappeared through the door. All the girls who were nice to him were already taken or too old for him.

Sakura mischievously smirked. ' _One less in the race!'_ Her inner counterpart commented, almost fist-pumping in joy and scratching Ino's name from an imaginary book.

The blonde man continued going through the three other Hokages. _Sarutobi – Senju – Senju. Is it a dynasty?_ _Tsunade too is a Senju_. Reaching the last picture, his eyes caught a light through the large window. He stood there, in a strange muteness, lost in his thoughts, his sky-blue eyes transfixed at the view on the village. _His village_. The place he was born. The place he grew up. A multitude of rooftops stretched out like a wave, the valley diving in a long slope, before going up again. Naruto scanned the horizon, and then he noticed it. It wasn't a wave, it was more like a crater. Was the village sitting in a sort of volcano? Had a meteorite crashed here a long time ago?

XXXXXX

 _Few moments earlier..._

A mountain of scrolls, papers and thick books were scattered on the Hokage's desk, some were of minor importance, others were not that trivial. But, it was a mess in there. There was no point in hiding it; even if the Sixth Hokage was infamous for being close to a maniac order freak, he didn't escape the rule that the job was more tiresome than any normal human could endure. Since the end of the war, the new Hokage never rested properly; stuck between the reconstruction of Konoha and keeping his words for the international accords to join forces for missions, his life was limited to this room. And even with the best intention, this mess would stay a mess until he has a good reason to deprive himself from another well-deserved night of sleep to clean that up.

Kakashi sighed, as he kept fumbling through the middle of a pile for a completely unrelated report that he thought was connected to the upcoming mission. How did he know? Just a hunch! And his hunch has always been right, so he never required to find another justification for his actions. However the stack did fall which didn't make his task more easy, or his desk look more presentable. The gray-haired man grumbled incoherently as he looked for the documents. How could anyone wish to become the Hokage was beyond his comprehension. His head hunched forward out of despair at the thought to be stuck in here for few more years. _And I was this close to having a successor to get rid of this job!_ He whined for himself.

At the familiar knock on the door, the copycat ninja lifted his nose from his mess. From the odd rhythm of tapping, it could only be Sasuke. The man has good manner but with the merriment of a tomb stone. He and Naruto were really like night and day.

 _Speak of the devil._

Sasuke entered his office, followed in tow by the Hokage's successor and Sakura. With Sai arriving in a couple of minute, Team Seven will be gathered in one place. If Tsunade was still around, it would be quiet a moment to bet on how long it would take them to change his office into a war zone. At least, for now Sakura was quiet and nice to Naruto, the girl was certainly in her nurse mode with the recovering blond. _It takes two out of the equation_. But the worst wasn't them. He was going to send Sai and Sasuke together, without Naruto there to prevent Sai from going overboard and probably tick off the Uchiha into shredding his teammate apart.

 _Is it really wise to allow that? Sasuke can be useful there, but it's still a risk on Sai's life._

The dark-haired shinobi stepped in front of the large desk, his black eyes gauging the mess with a disgruntled scowl on his perfect dark brows. If there was one thing that irked the Uchiha was the mess. How anyone was supposed to be efficient when surrounded by trash? Naruto, he could tolerate. Naruto was Naruto, and the guy did improve in those long years they were separated. Even if he had to pass behind the blond on a regular basis at home to keep thing in order, it was still manageable. Actually, Sasuke suspected that the constant beating from Sakura and her visits to the house were part of the reason the ' _Dobe'_ changed. He smirked at the nickname. How such petty detail, as using their regular nicknames, could make his day was amazing. However, Kakashi was another matter. This man was supposed to be their leader, and this mess was unbefitting to a leader.

"Can you really find something in here?" The Uchiha remarked acidly.

"It's a form of façade to hide the confidential documents from eventual spy." Kakashi retorted smugly, taunting Sasuke to counter him.. His desk was a mess, it was a fact, but he wasn't ready to admit it to his arrogant former student.

"Hmm. Still a mess. I guess, even you can't find your own stuff in here."

The sixth Hokage glanced on the side at the pinkette. Sakura definitely was more easy to deal with than the Uchiha. "You're sure you want to go for the mission?"

"She will be fine. He's not himself yet, and it seems to keep her temper at bay and more manageable. You saw that yourself today. She would have killed him normally for those books."

"True. Unusual." His eyes darted back to the dark-haired man in front of him. "But I was talking about you. I doubted you would want to leave your caretaker job to anyone."

"Just give me the scroll already." Sasuke grunted, extending his hand for the object.

"Sai is on his way here. I will explain to both of you at the same time." Kakashi's gaze shifted behind the Uchiha as his assistant got dragged out of the room. _Spring is always full of lovebird – that reminds me, I didn't read more than three pages of my favorite book today. What a shame!_

"However, I want you to see something else in the meantime." Kakashi muttered, fishing out of a paper out of the mess. "Take a look at that, it might interest you."

Sasuke went through the documents, his eyes skimming the words meticulously, while Kakashi absentmindedly observed Naruto from the corner of his eyes until the said blond came to stand at his right to look through the window. From outside, Naruto looked normal, but lacked his usual cheerfulness. This Naruto was more stern, thoughtful, making him think that the blond's goofiness could be nothing more than a facade, a mask he wore so frequently that it became part of him.

"You like the view?" Kakashi interrupted the blond's musing, turning his chair to face him.

"Yeah, I was..." Naruto realized that the Hokage addressed him and not Sakura. "Oh, did we bothered you during your meeting?" He questioned, noting Sasuke engrossed in a paper.

"No! You're welcome here! You used to come here a lot." Kakashi waved his hand in dismissal. "Maybe, the view felt familiar?" He smiled, his eyes curving in the process, hoping that the recovery could be faster if the blond saw something which might trigger his memories.

"No. Not really." The blond answered, honest to a fault. "But I got to see my pops!" He concluded with a bit more enthusiasm, a grin crossing his face and his thumb pointing behind him to the portrait of another blond.

 _Indeed, unfathomably similar._

Then suddenly Naruto interest was piqued by a peculiar detail about the Hokage, something about the man struck him strange. Why was he wearing a mask? Would he be able to recognize him without the mask? The blond scrutinized his face in candid curiosity, and his hand moved forward, nearly intuitively to grab the black mask hiding the Hokage's face.

"Why do you have a mask?"

Immediately, Sasuke and Sakura snapped their head toward the Hokage, their eyes focused on Naruto's hand. They suspended their breath, watching their teammate doing the unthinkable.

Would Kakashi let Naruto do it?

Would Naruto finally unravel the mystery behind Kakashi's mask?

 **DO NOT FORGET TO REVIEW, PLEASE**


	17. Chapter 17

**THANKS TO Reysha Moon Moming FOR BETA READING THE CHAPTER**

 _Yojimbra: It is a slow paced story. Not all stories have to go fast, but I admit that I love your fast stories that go straight to the point._

 _narusakufanficfan1: thanks_

 _eight heroes: Thank you for your kind words! love you too! thanks to be here!_

 _katus293: I'm sorry if I've disapoint you. There will be some narusaku moment, but not in the next chapter. I chose to develop the relation between the other characters. Thanks for being here_

 _sinedd662: thank you!_

 _UzumakiDavis27: hahaha. I'm glad you liked the humour of it... thanks!_

 _joey91731: Naruto will get his memories back slowly... thanks_

 _Dexter-83: Kakashi's mask is a real legend... He will get them back... thanks_

 _WindyCitySlayer: thank you very much!_

 _iKONO: Happy new year! Even if Naruto can't remember her, that don't me that he won't fall in love with her again ;) Thank you for your support!_

 _HITMAN0569: I'm happy that you like it! I so glad that at least one person appreciate the development. Thank you for your support_

 _Guest: There will be more ShikaIno later. There is no brewing InoNaru. Ino just find Naruto cute, but she don't like directly blond men. She love to tease Sakura and Naruto is just so lovely that it is difficult to not feel something for him. Just remember, all I do is for a purpose... the good and the bad... even the slowness of it. This story is based on how it would affect the people around Naruto if he lost his memories and how he would react on ramdom memories coming to his mind. Thank you for your comment and I hope you will like the story._

 _AquaRules: Kakashi's mask is so fun, they've made so many episode out of it. It was tempting to make a joke about it. Ino is just so fun to write, I guess she can turn everything her way but sometime it's good to make her shut up ("what a glorious feeling") Thanks and I hope you will like what will happen from here._

 _slasher: Naruto the last is a big joke in my point of view to justify why Naruto ended with Hinata as there was no way on earth he might have liked her in the anime. Thank you for your support and I hope to not disapoint you._

 _Touken: There will be more and more narusaku coming in future chapter. I wanted this story to develop other characters as well. I love the complexity of Sasuke (I can't accept his point blank persona that they depicted at the end of naruto. For me he had to be more complexe with a whole range of suppressed or tormented emotion.). And for Ino and Shika, they're both fun to write. For Sakura, you will have more of her soon... Don't forget that she will be alone with naruto soon ;) Thank you for your support!_

 _YeagerMeister31: Ino got her eyes on any cute boy. ;) but she don't really like blond guy._

 _Aewina-chan: Tu sais deja que tes commentaires m'ont boosté a écrire le chapitre 28. Merci mille fois de m'avoir soutenu et d'avoir partagé avec moi tes reactions_

 _dpmaragoni: I can't rewrite this story. I am deeply sorry. I don't have the time or the motivation to erase everything. I hope you will still end up liking what I've done with it._

 _ThatPageantGirl: Shika let Ino win most of the time because it would be too troublesome to deal with her... but sometime he can win too. I'm happy that you liked it._

 **Chap 16: Girl's talk**

Shikamaru entered the office, a smirk on his lips and full of the self-assurance that often exudes out of elite shinobi. He marched with his natural nonchalance toward the Hokage's desk, pleased with himself it seemed, his steps relaxed and slow, cigarette still hanging on the side of his mouth. The strategist was ready to face the sorry expression of the blond when he asked for the nth time his name. Now that the healing process has begun, he knew that Ino would be able to bring back Naruto's memories, it just needed time.

The strategist pulled away from his cigarette and released a cloud of smoke, before greeting his longtime friend. "Hey, Naruto! How..." though he couldn't finish his sentence before a ferocious punch sent him to fly across the room.

As the cloud of smoke reached her nostrils, a chain reaction started in Sakura's system, her stomach flipped over, and then her fist jerked straight toward the source of the smoke, all happening in a blink of an eye. The information didn't pass through her brain, she couldn't have controlled it, the punch just escaped her will. It was all that disgusting odor's fault! If only this idiot of a Nara didn't smoke. ' _Shit! We missed the chance to see Kakashi's face!'_

At the body projected in the air like a bullet, Sasuke didn't show any interest and continued fixing the Hokage in hope for Naruto to do the deed, Kakashi winced wondering if his bet would have included the Nara's heir even if he wasn't part of Team Seven, and Naruto? Naruto's jaw dropped, completely forgetting about the infamous mask.

"No smoking in the office, you idiot!" Sakura barked, huffing and puffing like a bull. "There are people who don't want to get poisoned with that crap!"

 _'Shit! Troublesome woman! I forgot the second one... Why Naruto find Sakura attractive is a mystery? At least Ino is sexy. Not that I would ever tell her.'_

"You could have asked nicely," Shikamaru replied, dusting his shoulders from the rubble of the broken wall.

"You could have respected the rules!" Sakura pointed, crossing her arms over her chest in a form of authority. ' _Yeah, you bastard! It's not allowed in public building!'_ Commented her inner-counterpart, sending few jabs in the air, ready for a fight.

No point in arguing with girls. He already won one battle with Ino. A second battle with another kunoichi the same day would be too much.

"Well, whatever. Kakashi-sama doesn't mind, so I forgot – sorry."

The apology was only halfhearted, but enough to diffuse the situation. Sakura huffed one time more for good measure, and let go of her anger. It had relatively been good to vent some of her temper on someone. It was so hard to keep herself in check, after all, she wasn't known as Tsunade's number one student only for her healing skill.

Shikamaru crushed his cigarette in the closest garbage bin and walked back to the desk to try to talk with his friend. Her nose scrunched in a grimace as he approached, and he surveyed her with wariness, ready to jump to the side to avoid another hit, as Sakura mumbled a low "you stink!"

As nothing happened, the strategist drifted his gaze toward the blond figure at her side, happy to see him well. "How are you Naruto? What brings you here with us? Did you miss the office?" Shikamaru joked to make a small conversation.

"Shikamaru." The amnesic man said, glad that Sakura had mentioned the name a little while ago. It got the effect he hoped as the man in front of him smiled. It always had this effect whenever he got the name of someone right. "I was just curious to see the place, and know more about what the Hokage does. Sasuke told me I wanted to be one when I was a kid."

"You pretty much still wanted it even as an adult. You never stopped claiming it." Shikamaru laughed, remembering he signed for the Hokage assistant position just to be of help to his friend.

"And what is it all about?" The blond questioned further.

"Oh – This and that," Shikamaru said vaguely, looking desperate at the mess of paperwork on the Hokage's desk. "Some paperwork..." he trailed off.

"But not only that!" Kakashi interjected with a false cheerfulness, not wanting his successor to give up on the job. "The Hokage is here to defend the village and look out for the welfare of the community. It's really an interesting job, full of gratification."

Shikamaru sent his boss a glance on the side, his facial expression screaming a silent 'Oh really? I didn't know that there was something other than this damn paperwork, you sweet-talker'.

The conversation got interrupted by another knock on the door. Shikamaru tensed ever so slightly in apprehension at the possibility that Ino could have recovered and been ready to kill him. He sighed in relief, seeing the last member of Team Seven enter the office. The artist formally presented himself to the Hokage, delivering his report, and not paying attention to the curious stare he was receiving from the people present. He was a little dirty – and bloody. But nothing out of the ordinary for a former assassin of ROOT.

"It was bad I presume." Kakashi ventured at Sai's appearance.

"I think you could say it wasn't pretty." The artist answered in his monotonous tone, his pale skin appearing even whiter by the contrast of the brown reddish color of drying blood covering his face. His clothes drenched in the same liquid and mud mixing with it all.

"Can you take care of the next mission?" _'Seems bad but at least it wasn't his blood'._

"When do I leave?"

"Today at nightfall. You have a group of villages to investigate on the Southeast border, and you will be paired with Sasuke." The Hokage informed him, immediately noticing the tension in Sasuke's jaw and the glare Sai gave to the Uchiha. "So you two will have to operate as a team. So no fighting! Am I clear?" When they didn't reply, Kakashi repeated himself. "Am. I. Clear? So behave! No fighting and absolutely no murder each other!" He ordered firmly.

"OK." the two dark-haired ninjas responded without conviction, Sasuke looking away and Sai with a fake smile, knowing that it was a vain promise to say they could be friends with each other.

Kakashi extended the mission order scroll for one of them to take. "All the information is in here. Sasuke, you will be the team leader. Try to extract as much information as you can, no restriction on the use of your Sharingan, killing is allowed if needed. Sai, you will be his support and you will have to give me detailed reports every day." The council wouldn't stop bugging him if he didn't have someone to monitor Sasuke for his first mission without Naruto. It was a good way to keep Sai safe as well to have him write a report. Sasuke knew that if he killed or hurt the guy, he would be banished from Konoha. "I'll let Sasuke fill you in with the complementary information I gave him earlier." Kakashi finished, trying to tidy up his desk a little bit to continue his work.

As Sai moved closer to have a look over Sasuke's shoulder at the document in his hand, the Sharingan user stepped away in disgust. "Stay away from me, you're dirty!" The Uchiha growled menacingly.

"Friendly we said – Stay friendly Sasuke!" The Hokage reminded him, glaring at the man.

"Tell him to take a bath first!" Sasuke retorted harshly.

"Well, it's not such a bad idea. I'm sure you would enjoy a good bath Sai, you look like a butcher right now." Kakashi admitted.

"Yes, sir. I will go to the bathhouse before the mission." The artist looked up at his blond friend and drawn the corner of his lips up in what could look like a friendly smile in Sai standard. "Do you want to join me Naruto?"

Naruto shrugged, he didn't have anything else to do. "Yes, sure! Sound like a plan!" He turned toward the pinkette. "Can I?" he asked her. Sasuke has explained to him on their way to the Hokage's office that he would certainly have to immediately leave so that Sakura would assume the attendance in his absence.

She nodded, smiling at him. It was good that Naruto began to count on her too. Her inner counterpart devilishly commenting _'And we will be just the two of us tonight...'_

As it was settled, Naruto asked Shikamaru to accompany them, but the Hokage's assistant had to decline the offer, his never-ending load of work keeping him from finishing early. The group then left the office, and Sakura noticed Ino in a corner, slightly hidden, her body lethargically leaning against the wall, and her face concealed in her hands.

"Are you ok?" Sakura inquired worried, abandoning the group to walk toward the blond woman. ' _She seemed fine a little while ago. Did something happen with Shikamaru?'_

Ino gasped hearing the voice of her best friend, hastily freeing her hands and ready to spit out the subject of her trauma for a girl's advice. "Forehead – I..." Fortunately, she detected fast enough that the pinkette wasn't alone, and hold back on time before saying too much. "I need to talk to you." she finished seriously.

Sakura briefly glanced at the group who stopped few feet away from them, waiting for their teammate to join. "We were on our way to the bathhouse. Can we talk on the way? Or do you want to join me? We can talk in a nice warm bath." she suggested invitingly.

"A bath! Yeah! A bath and a bottle of sake – I'll need all that!" Ino exclaimed, latching on Sakura's arm for a much needed moral support.

XXXXXXXXXX

To avoid the civilians, the group of ninja took the rooftops, the guys being in front, Sasuke and Sai occupying one of the blond sides, while Sakura and Ino followed a few feet behind.

Down below, the streets were busy. Konoha's peace made business prosperous, and with the international relationships, goods and people from all over the elemental nations traveled from one place to another more easily. It resulted in a constant activity around the shopping area and people from all kinds walking from one side to the other, exchanging, buying or simply chatting with each other.

Even as they jumped fast, the group could hear the clamor of the voices of the vendors, or the noisy kids yelling and laughing loudly. From the corner of her eyes, Sakura had observed Ino since she left the Hokage tower. The blond woman was acting pretty much her usual self, but it didn't mean that her problem was solved. "Mind telling me what happened?" Sakura whispered to her friend, concern getting the better of her.

"Not now, when we are alone." Ino mouthed postponing their conversation "Girl's talk!" she winked with her finger in front of her lips, signaling it was secret.

Sakura's curiosity immediately picked up on all the mystery her friend was putting around her affair. It could have been absolutely nothing, Ino being a real drama queen sometimes to enhance the effect when she shared gossip. It was always kind of hard to say if she was being serious or frivolous as the blond woman treated everything with the same excessive demeanor to deceive people.

Noticing the insistent gaze of her friend on her, Ino changed the subject to another topic. "I found Sasuke cute today, being in charge of Naruto and all. He wasn't like his usual self, he was almost..." she searched for the word to describe someone emotionless but discretely attentive. "...caring! It's so strange to see him open up a little, maybe he did change during this long years away."

"Yeah, he did change indeed – and what happened to Naruto has shaken us all up. "Sakura absentmindedly admitted, her voice soft and her head elsewhere, her gaze longingly lingering more than it should on her blond teammate's back in front of her.

"Don't tell me you are falling for him again!" The Yamanaka heiress warned her. They have lost enough years running after the inaccessible Uchiha prize, they couldn't afford at their age to waste more time even if the man became more human. They needed to focus on finding a decent husband.

"You know very well that I have come to terms with my childhood feelings for Sasuke." Sakura countered, turning her head to fix her friend in the eyes to show her honesty. "He's just a friend now."

"You would tell me if you do?" Ino insisted. "You remember that we promised to tell each other everything about our love life – or lack of it," she added with a smirk toward her best friend and rival who had the most uninteresting love life of all Konoha, the pink haired girl being a work-addict. Then she clapped her hands as an idea popped in her head. "Why don't you come over at my place tonight after the bath? We can have our girl's talk there and share a bottle of sake. You must need it too, you look like a withered flower." .

"Thanks for the comparison," Sakura muttered dejectedly, "do I look that bad?"

"Not that bad, but you are so pale that you could compete with Sai's fair skin. So will you join me?"

"No, I'll be staying at Naruto's place tonight." The pinkette refused. It was not yet time to share her growing secret with her friend and sake even less.

"Oh-ho! So unusual! Does your mother know you're staying alone with a man?" Ino teased an amused glint in her eyes. They had talked many times over accepting Naruto's invitation to be housemates for a while. Sakura had always closed the debate saying that her mother would never allow her to share a house with a guy, best friend or not, even if she was an adult now.

"She knows Naruto was injured, I doubt that she'll say anything, she would understand – and anyway, I'm on duty to be his bodyguard." The pinkette tried to play it casually to not be discovered.

Ino giggled. "How convenient! Spending the night with a hot guy on the Hokage's orders. I know, you'll tell me he's just your friend – But admit it! He's a damn sexy friend!" Ino trailed snickering.

Dread crept on Sakura's back, her possessiveness on the alert. "What!? Since when do you find Naruto sexy?"

"Come on! Don't tell me you didn't get a good look at him? Even as a friend, he's definitely hot! I don't like blonds generally but I could make an exception." Ino conceded. She knew from a gossip from Kiba that Sakura did try to confess to Naruto years ago and that he rejected her. She never tried to pry, as the girl had enough on her plate with Sasuke trying to kill her afterward, and the subject was then long forgotten by their unchanged and boring relationship. But still, the girl had thought of her teammate as a potential boyfriend.

"What!?" She exclaimed in shock.

"Jealous?" Ino teased at her friend's reaction. Maybe Naruto's injury has opened up not only Sasuke but Sakura's feeling too. Could it be the right moment to meddle with Sakura's life and help her move out of her fear of rejection? Naruto was a good man, and rare were good men. She sighed internally, she could have tried to seduce the blond guy to defy the lack of faith of her teammate in her seductive ability. But Shika was certainly right, Naruto and Sakura were inseparable, and Sakura more attached to him than she could have ever admitted. As a consolation for her loss, she had at least a lead to where to begin her next treatment.

"Don't you dare flirt with him!" Sakura hissed unconsciously.

"Why not?" Ino pushed forward, amused and decided to see if her friend would take the bait.

"Because – because I know how you treat men like disposable goods. Naruto is vulnerable right now, you can't do that to him." Sakura defended grumbling angrily.

"Oh! Don't worry! I know Naruto is not a flower to be cut to put in a bouquet and throw away, he is a strong tree to grow roots over the years." She winked with a playful smile, enjoying the fuming expression on her friend. Sakura was so adorable, all protective over her 'friend'. She wondered if the pink-haired woman was even aware of it.

Ino's crystal laugh surprised the head medic, even more as the said woman grabbed her elbow gently, pulling her down toward the entrance of the bathhouse. "You know, if you want him, you should grab him or someone might snatch him away from under your nose," Ino advised with good humor, still giggling. She would not compete with her friend, they had promised to not fight over a man. But she could still have fun with her innocent friend who didn't realize her lingering feelings for her blond teammate.

XXXXXXXX

The group parted way entering the bathhouse, the guys turned their way into the men's bath not waiting for the girls to check in, while Ino enthusiastically pulled her pink-haired friend babbling on the virtues of a hot bath for the beauty of the skin.

In the men's changing room, Naruto began to undress, wriggling out of his tee-shirt and messily tossing it in his clothes basket, his pants following shortly after. As he began to unwrap his arms from his bandage, his blue eyes briefly glanced at his two silent companions, both of them were meticulously folding their clothes in a simple fashion. Should he do the same? Did he ever bother doing the same? It seemed so unnecessary to tidy up something that he would put on back in an hour or so. His hand stopped his movement as Sasuke unwrapped his arm too. It was like his own, the same unnatural white color!

"Oh! How come your arm is the same as mine?" Naruto inquired in a surprised exclamation.

Sasuke blinked startled by the outburst, before looking down at his arm then at Naruto. _'Yeah Naruto certainly doesn't remember the story we share'_ , he gloomily thought. "We lost our arm the day you saved me." The Uchiha explained nonchalantly. "The old hag and Sakura have harvested cells compatible for a transplant to create those arms, and replaced what we lost."

"Woah! Can they really do that? Replace limbs and stuff – they're incredible!" Then the blond tilted his head in genuine curiosity. "Who is the old hag?"

"Tsunade," Sasuke answered flat out, not having any friendly feeling for the older woman.

"You call her old hag?" Naruto questioned.

"Yeah, and you call her Baa-chan." Sai interfered to take part in their conversation.

"Baa-chan?" The blond repeated, tossing his bandage in the basket and pulling down his boxer. _'It does make sense if she is as old as a grandmother'_.

The artist nodded, happy to have Naruto's attention and to be able to share with him some of his knowledge. Friends are here to support each other in time of need, he read a book once. "It's a nickname you gave her. Friends give nicknames! You gave us nickname too. He's Bastard." Sai said pointing at Sasuke, comically growling uttering the name to mimic Naruto's manner when calling his supposed best friend. "and I'm Bastard also." He announced proudly to have a nickname to show their bond, feeling a little closer to the blond that way.

"Ah?" ' _I call Sasuke 'Bastard'? Somehow I can understand, I wanted to call him that too today during the practice, the name seems to fit well. But why did I called 'Skinny', 'Bastard'?'_

The answer to Naruto's unspoken question came by itself as Sai continued to deepen their bond by sharing the nickname he gave him. "and you are Dickless," the artist confidently told him, his hands on his hips and nodding pleased with himself.

"What?!" The blue eyes looked downward at his virility and then quickly grabbed his towel, attaching it around the waist to cover his nudity. "I have one!" he vehemently proclaimed, his cheeks pink, offended by the insulting nickname. He had one and he was sure it worked, the orange kinky book having been enough to arouse him to verify that fact.

Sai looked his friend from head to toes and backup. He plastered a 'friendly' smile he worked hard on to achieve in front of his mirror. "You did grow up, but you never have really used it. So I think the nickname is still valid."

At the mocking smirk on the artist's face, Naruto's face turned even redder. "Bastard!" he menacingly growled ready for a fight.

Sai amiably patted the blond shoulder. "Yeah like that! It's exactly like that you used to call me!" he encouraged, completely oblivious.

Once he finished fastening his towel, Sasuke pushed Naruto's back to make him move forward. "Come on, let's have a soak – Don't listen to this guy, he's a real moron anyway. I don't know how you end up being friends with so many weirdos."

Naruto puffed and pouted, his ego still not satisfied without a good fight to prove himself, but he let the man he trusted like family guide him without much resistance to the other room. The raven-haired man pulled a small stool and seated himself without much interaction, his towel laying on his lap for basic modesty. Naruto followed, copying the washing ritual of his best friend, placing the sample of soap and shampoo at his right and filling up a wooden bucket with warm water. At the arrival of the third man, the blue gaze instinctively observed the guy, and his hand replaced the white fluffy cloth to hide more his private parts. He didn't want to give more opportunity for Sai to comment on his penis.

After generously applying the soap on all his tanned skin, the blond massaged his scalp with the shampoo, forming a big foam around his head. Then while rinsing his hair, pouring his bucket of warm water over his head, he tried to pass his fingers through his mane and were blocked as his locks were all tangled up. ' _Unfortunate.'_

Wiping his face with his palm to chase the last drop from his eyes, Naruto glanced at his companions to see if they were finished too. Sasuke was putting the wooden bucket back in its place, and Sai was calmly brushing his hair. Seeing the guy's hair fall back straight and orderly, Naruto thought he could try that thing. Maybe he would look good with his hair straightened by a comb.

"Can I borrow your stuff?" Naruto asked when the artist finished with it.

Sasuke looked at them curiously. Did he hear well? Naruto wanted to brush his hair – It was a first. From as long as he knew the man, Naruto never brushed his hair. Not even once. Not even in a million years... ' _What a moron!'_ Did the guy also forget that he had a bush on his head, not normal hair?

He watched as Sai gave the blond the tool and then at how Naruto clumsily tried to pass it straight on through his locks. ' _Foolish! He would never manage it like that_.'

After a couple of minutes at seeing the unfruitful attempt, the infamously thin Uchiha's patience ran out, and Sasuke grabbed the comb from his best friend's hand to get the job done.

"What are you, a kid? At the rhythm your doing it, we'll be here all night!" Sasuke grumbled angrily, forcefully pulling the brush through the hair of a squirming and whining Naruto.

XXXXXXX

Sakura slid the door of the women's changing room closed behind her, leaving her alone with the blond woman. She was somewhat annoyed by Ino's sudden interest in Naruto, but she couldn't blame her for finding him attractive, as her boyfriend undoubtedly was hot. However, she would need to have a serious conversation with her about him, and eventually let her in her secret sooner or later as she couldn't imagine lying to her indefinitely. But for now, she knew that they had another matter to discuss, so she walked calmly toward her friend, taking the next locker on her left, and began to undress while starting their 'girl talk'.

"So now that we are alone, will you spill the beans or do you plan to make me wait longer?" Sakura gets down straight to business.

Ino unzipped her skirt, letting it fall at her feet, and sighed dramatically, bending forward to grab the garment. "Oh! You can't imagine what happened to me! It's terrible!" She started taking a theatrical attitude for emphasis while standing up.

The kunoichi arched a perfect pink eyebrow at the scene, and the words 'Drama queen' rang in her head. "If I can't imagine, would you please tell me already?" Sakura invited unfazed, folding her top in her clothes basket, not letting herself get lead on by the performance of her friend.

The blond pouted at the lack of attention, frowning for effect and crossing her arms over her chest. "I'm serious Forehead!"

"And I'm all ears... what happened that is so terrible? If you don't tell me, I can't guess."

"OK, I was drunk yesterday – No don't snicker! So, I was drunk – Sakura!" Ino whined.

"Sorry! It's just that all your stories begin in the same way, maybe you should stop drinking." The pinkette suggested giggling, taking off her skirt.

Ino sighed heavily, unclasping her bra. "Well, after this one, I think I should. But I'll really need some sake tonight to help me relax."

"Pig, you know, you sound more and more like Tsunade-shishou."

"You're the one to talk Forehead. Should I remind you to watch your temper? All the interns are trembling at each of your outbursts. You won't have a boyfriend if you scare the shit out of all the men!"

"Oh! I will just date a more courageous one!" Sakura playfully countered. _'I have a boyfriend, he just doesn't remember.'_ Inner-Sakura mumbled frustrated.

"Or a fool!" Ino teased, winking at her. "But enough for now – Let's go back to my problem." She wrapped her towel around her curves. "I was drunk and I did something very bad – No! It's more like a living nightmare!"

"Spill!"

"It's possible – even if I don't remember anything, and it sounds highly improbable, that maybe, I – I might have, but without my will..."

"Spill!" Sakura insisted, her patience long gone in a cloud of vapor.

" I kissed Shika!" Ino confessed defeated, hiding her face with her hand. "Shame on me!"

"Oh? That's all? You got me all worried for nothing, I was expecting something bad. Congrats Pig!" Sakura said happy for her friend.

"No! No! No! You don't understand! I kissed Shika. Shikamaru Nara! My lazy teammate!" She cried horrified.

"You've kissed a tonne of guys Pig. Shikamaru is actually a decent one. So are you two dating?" Sakura asked casually, placing the clothes basket in her locker.

"No!" Ino fiercely refused. "Are you joking? He can't be called decent!"

"I think he's fine," Sakura commented honestly. "He's smart, he has a good job, he treats you well. I think it fits most of your criteria for a boyfriend – Oh? Did he reject you?"

"What are you saying! Nonsense! What guy would dare reject me?" The blond proudly exclaimed.

Sakura shrugged, "Sasuke." She promptly answered, not needing more time to find the guy who rejected them all. It was hard to forget.

Ino passed the door to the other room walking at her friend side. "It's not fair! The guy is asexual!" The blond declared for her defense.

"Asexual?" Sakura repeated, pondering about the option out loud. ' _Could be...'_ "I'm begining to think he's gay..." the pinkette shared her doubt with her friend.

"Oh NO! He can't be!" Ino cried, "It was fine by me if he didn't want anyone – but to prefer a man to me? I can't accept it!" She faked the outrage while chuckling facetiously at the possibility.

"It's just a guess. Actually, he denied it when I asked him." Sakura confided, filling her bucket with water.

"You asked him directly?" Ino questioned dumbfounded at the boldness of her friend, in full gossiping mode.

"Well, I was shocked! He was kissing Naruto and it just seems so – so right... " Sakura trailed, remembering the traumatic event.

"You mean when we were kids? It was an accident..."

"No, now! A few days ago! They were both lying down on the couch, all comfy together." The pinkette shook her head to chase away the images.

"Damn! That must have been a sexy sight, the two of them together... Were they naked?" Ino inquired lost in her fantasies, imagining the strong and muscular bodies of the two guys, just their private parts that were hidden by the shadow of their powerful thighs intertwined.

"Tear that smile off your face, you pervert! No, they weren't naked, thank god! And Sasuke said that it was to help Naruto remember..." She chased a stranded pink curl sticking on her cheek, bringing it up with the rest on the top of her head while massaging her scalp. "My ass! The guy wouldn't have done CPR to me if I was drowning." She angrily muttered.

"Maybe he was afraid of getting hit, you did hit Naruto for less than that many times." Ino pointed out. She folded her long ponytail in a bun to not wet her hair, while Sakura shampooed hers.

"I did CPR on Naruto!" Sakura yelled for her defense, foam falling on her nose as she turned abruptly her head to face her friend.

"How was it?"

"What?" Sakura tilted her head confused.

"It's the closest you've ever been to kissing someone. So how was your CPR-kiss?" Ino wriggled her brows suggestively, teasing her innocent friend.

"Pig!" The pinkette barked. _'We've done more than just kissing!'_ proudly exclaimed her inner counterpart.

They both snapped their head in direction of the men's bath as they heard Naruto and Sasuke's voice. "Not that hard Teme! It hurts!"

"Stop moving Dobe! I can't get a good hold..."

Sakura was all alert, her muscles tense ready to run to the other side, "What are they doing?" she uttered more for herself.

Ino giggled, "Maybe he's raping him..." she suggested amused.

Realizing that her friend was making fun of her, Sakura tried to calm down her nerves. "It's absurd, Sai is with them." the pink-haired kunoichi said, brushing away the possibility.

"He could be watching. If I was in there, I would be watching too." She generously laughed. "I envy Hinata so much for her Byakugan."

"I bet you would overuse them and go blind," Sakura mumbled, narrowing her eyes toward her friend.

Some other whines came again with the Uchiha's stern order to stay put, keeping Sakura on her toes even if she didn't show it, continuing to wash as naturally as she could. She had to get her attention on something else. With the best of her abilities, she plastered a smile on her face once she finished rinsing her body.

"So what are you gonna do about Shikamaru?" She questioned changing the subject, standing up to walk in the bath where the blond was already soaking.

Ino sighed, a long and heavy sigh, her head resting on her folded arms on the edge of the bath. "I don't know! It sucks! Kissing your teammate is the worst – Can you imagine? Every day, I have to see his face. It's not like a guy I just met in a bar. I've know him since – since before we were born!" She exclaimed, sinking more in the warm water, barely letting her mouth out. "His mother knows my mother, I have to eat at his family table and all. This is the worst, I swear! " She exaggeratedly complained, drowning herself as she ended her monologue.

Sakura entered the bath, the water encompassing her aching body in its comforting warmth. She was tired. No – She was exhausted. With everything that happened since few weeks, from nearly losing Naruto, to discovering she was pregnant and finally having him amnesiac, she hadn't taken a minute for herself to rest. She slid down, closing her eyes for a much-needed relaxation, letting her back take support on the wall to keep her in a sitting position, and she thought, she thought for once about something else than her own problems. It was soothing and relieved part of her stress to put her mind on her friend's love life instead.

 _Love ..._

"Do you like him?" Sakura mumbled, not opening her eyes, asking the question the most evident for her.

Water splashed around, and small waves danced on the previously calm surface of the bath as the Yamanaka heiress emerged. "It's Shika!" She screamed in outrage.

Green piercing eyes looked straight at her with seriousness. "Yeah, but do you like him?"

A silence. This was a question Ino never asked herself. A question she didn't want to know the answer. "I knew him since forever!"

"Do you like him?" The pinkette insisted. She made the same mistake herself to put aside her feelings for the person closest to her, the person she loved in fear of losing him and to protect what she had – until it was too late. Until regrets came to suffocate her. She didn't want her friend to do the same, at least not without facing herself honestly.

"He's lazy!" Ino retorted, refusing to face the question.

"And important to you?"

"He's important. But not like that, we shouldn't have kissed!"

"Why did you kiss him?" Sakura continued to dig very calmly.

"I was drunk!" Ino replied, avoiding her friend's gaze. She was feeling very self-conscious with the knowing stare Sakura was giving her, as if she was able to read her mind. Sometimes these girl talks were really disturbing. They knew each other so well that it was difficult to hide anything from the other, more difficult than to hide it from herself.

"Maybe, but you always kissed a guy because you find him at least cute." The pinkette argued.

Ino opened her mouth and close it twice, "Shika is not cute." She pouted, her answer lacking sincerity. "He's lazy and he's lame!" she declared, refusing to accept any quality in her childhood friend, searching for more and more excuses to not consider him as a love partner. "He let me fall on the ground, not able to catch me in time." She lifted up the henge to show her friend her nasty bruise. "What type of guy lets a girl he just kissed fall?"

The pinkette grimaced seeing the bruise. "Ouch! You fell face first..."

"Yeah! Can you do something for it?" She asked nicely, coming closer to her friend for her to heal her face.

Sakura straightened up, sitting on her heels for a better working position, her hands already glowing with the soothing green color. "So what do you want to do? Date him?" She inquired applying her healing chakra to repair the damage on Ino's face.

"Don't be ridiculous! Who would want to date a guy like him?" Ino muttered hiding behind her pride, looking at her friend's face from below.

Sakura smirked. "You don't know. He might be more popular than you think. Naruto told me once that he was on pretty good terms with the Kazekage's sister."

"She doesn't count! She's weird and she's not even from our village." The blond retorted, completely denying the fact.

"Since the alliance, not being from the same village is not a problem," Sakura warned her. She has seen a delegation from Suna going back and forth regularly, and the Sand Kunoichi was often with them. "Just ask yourself the right question..." She advised.

Ino sighed, "You're so difficult! I wanted some answers, not more questions!" she complained, lowering her eyes.

She was just at eye level of Sakura's bare chest, and she knew the girl since kindergarten. She always has been proud to be the more endowed of the two, gracefully winning on that subject. But looking now at the mounds, round and full, the skin stretched, making them stand straight and arrogant, Ino couldn't miss that her friend's boobs have slightly grown since the last time she saw her.

"Holy cow Sakura! Don't tell me you found Tsunade's jutsu to make your tits bigger!" She said squeezing with her full hands her friend's roundness to check the size.

"KYAAA! Take your hands off!" Sakura yelled, pushing away her nosy friend from her swollen and overly sensitive breasts.

 **REVIEW PLEASE... REVIEWS ARE IMPORTANT!**

 _I've some trouble with my computer and I don't have internet all the time (I'm travelling for 6 month). I will try to continue to publish regularly and finish this story. This might be difficult but I will try my best... Please support me if you want me to continue._


	18. Chapter 18

**THANKS TO EKATARINA016 FOR BETA READING THE CHAPTER**

 _WindyCitySlayer1: thanks_

 _tiny tanaka:Ino is a friend, even if she find Naruto attractive. thanks for your support_

 _joey91731: thank you very much! I can so much imagine Ino doing that to Sakura_

 _eight heroes: as I already answered. I will try to finish this one first. Thank you for being here_

 _Aewina-chan J'adore tes commentaires. Ils me font tellement plaisir de savoir tes reactions à mes chapitres. Merci beaucoup. Et oui Sai est tellement a coté de la plaque qu'il en est super drole. Je peux pas te devoiler mon plan pour Sakura, mais disowns qu'elle espere pour l'instant qu'il se souviendra d'elle avant que ça devienne trop voyant. Pour mon autre fic, tu ne devrais pas trop tarder à la lire. Je pense la supprimer... enfin tu as encore quelques semaines devant toi._

 _maxslayer10: I hope you will like what I made of them. But what is sure is that Sakura's love is growing and Naruto like her even without his memories. Thank you for your support. (about my computer and my phone, they are both on their end... so they are very capricious to allow me to connect or work. I tried to fix it and I pray everyday that they won't break until I finish to post my last chapter.)_

 _Guest: There will be other chapter ShikaIno but they are not the main couple. Thank you very much for your support_

 _dpmaragoni:_ _There will be other chapter ShikaIno but they are not the main couple. I don't think I will continue with How I fell in love with my best friend. I plan on quiting writing after this story. I am not cut to be a writer. Thank you very much for your support_

 _YeagerMeister31: Yeah Naruto don't know anything about himself so he try to copy his friends, like Sasuke habit of washing or Sai brushing his hair. He is experimenting to find a clue of who he was. . Thank you for being here._

 _Touken: The time delay between publishing had been reduced at approximately 15 days. Each chapter need for me to write it and believe it of not, it's a huge amount of work and really time consuming . And then it need to be corrected by a beta. Again it is time and work. There is things that seems unimportant, but they serve as a bridge to bring some event in the future. They are small details that I place sometime in the middle to be used later too. Thank you for your support and I hope you will like what all those little things will bring out._

 _Eremika: There is a time for each of them. There will be more time of Naruto's feeling in future chapters. Thank you for being here._

 _Skillet: Thank you I hope you will continue to like my work._

 _HITMAN0569: Ino is mostly noticing Sakura's boobs. She still hadn't make the link between the change and something more. Thanks for your support_

 _ThatPageantGirl: And there is more action to come. Thanks_

 _naj677: There will be a bit more of this pairing but they are not my main couple. Thank you . I hope you will continue to like the story._

 _iKONO: If you want more detail about my real life, I can PM you if you have an account. To make it short let's say that I am traveling the world to gather knowledge on alternative healing techniques to find a cure for the people I care. Thank you for always showing me support._

 _Fairy of Anime: Thank you for your support and I hope you will continue to like the chapters._

 _G: Thank you. I hope you will like the chapter._

 _Nico-Monkey D Robin: I don't know Konan enough to write about her, and to be perfectly honest I plan to quit writing. I just try to keep myself afloat until the end of this one and after I will certainly stop._

 **Chap 17: Hot water and cold shower**

Naruto looked over his shoulder at the dark-haired jerk behind him who had just finished nearly ripping his head off his axis.

"Teme! You're such a brute!"

"Usuratonkashi. You should thank me, idiot; the job is done," Sasuke casually replied, tossing the comb full of lost blond hair towards the artist before standing up.

Sai looked curiously at the cloud of blonde hair sticking out to all direction from its roots, and then at Naruto. Indeed, Sasuke would be terrible as a hairdresser in terms of gentleness, but no one could deny the result looked good. It's strange seeing Naruto with his hair perfectly combed backward, giving off almost a regal aura around him. If he dressed up properly, he could no doubt pass as a lord.

Naruto followed the man he considered a brother to the bath, giving off a low growl along the way, his fists itching to land themselves on the man's handsome face. Callously ignoring his best friend's anger, the Uchiha discarded his towel to one side and slid his Adonis body into the water. One could dislike him for his god-awful character and cold attitude towards other people, but nobody could deny the man got one hell of a body. From his face to the end of his toes, Sasuke's unnatural beauty could be considered damn near enough perfect.

Naruto snorted, annoyed after looking at the man. No wonder he never got a girlfriend! He spent all his time beside this guy. 'Bastard!' Naruto swore in his mind.

Near the edge of the bath, the blonde hesitated to intangle the knot of fluffy material covering his lower body as the sound of light, wet steps echoed behind him.

'Sai.'

He nearly forgot the guy was there all along since Sai kept silent during the period Sasuke seemingly was trying to rip his scalp off his skull. Now, though, Naruto felt conscious of his approach, of his all-encompassing gaze on his posterior, of the fact that this guy commented – and not in a good way – on his manhood. He straightened his back, shoulders square and chin high, and dipped his foot into the water without initially removing his towel with all the pride he could muster. As the water reached his knees, the blonde hastily threw away the last remnant of his privacy and immersed himself at once beside his best friend, trying his best to hide his awkwardness.

Sai came in afterward, sitting to his left far to close for his liking. Naruto wanted to wipe out the smugness plastered on the guy's usually emotionless face; it was so irritating. What was he thinking behind this frozen expression? Narrowing his eyes, Naruto glared at the man and shifted discreetly closer towards Sasuke. If Naruto's actions bothered him, the Uchiha didn't show it on his face, keeping it as blank as a virgin canvas. His arms leisurely rested on the edge of the bath, his gaze facing straight ahead as if he hadn't noticed the manouvre.

Naruto had hoped to feel easier with the increased distance between him and Sai, but strangely it seemed to only made it worse. Now, the artist was able to have a better view of him, and it was disturbing, to say the least. The freak frozen smile was giving him the chill as his nape's hair stood up like the fur of a hissing cat. Slowly, he could feel his cheeks heat up under the undecipherable stare of the silent man, and his face crunched in a contrived expression imagining all the improper remarks going on in the guy's head as he kept his eyes on him. To palliate to his rising uneasiness, Naruto chose to sink further down in the water to hide the screaming sign of his embarrassment, leaving only his nose and his blue eyes above it.

None of the men reacted to his strange attitude, unfazed as if he wasn't even here. The blond sighed internally for the slight comfort procured by the little haven, his body enjoying the relaxing effect of the bath. His muscles have been sore from his previous training and he was more tired than he thought at first. Without doubt, his prolonged stay at the hospital have let him rusty and weakened, and going back to some workout and nice falls, considering his failing attempts at climbing a tree, made him welcome greatly the resting effect of the heat.

The water was very warm, lulling, and his mind felt more and more sluggish by the second. Slowly his eyes closed, his eyelids particularly heavy, his body slackening and sinking more, his attention slipping away. It was so warm, nearly comforting like a broth of ramen. He didn't feel bothered anymore by anything, his mind shutting down, becoming numb and dull. The sound reached him muffled as his ears immersed under water. He was just fading, fading more in a void, darkness enclosing him, licking his face, devouring his limbs until he disappeared completely.

Sasuke witnessed from the corner of his eyes Naruto's ridiculous moves to avoid Sai, from coming closer to him and to immersing himself until his breath created small ripples on the surface of the water just under his nostrils. He'd said nothing, showed nothing, thought nothing of it. It was just Naruto's natural idiocy, after all. The Uchiha disdainfully looked to the other side after noticing the blonde's face relax. Stubbornness was a quality to improve skills while training, but it had a price to pay for a convalescent man. The blonde was just experimenting the backlash of mastering a first-class jutsu.

The former rogue ninja closed his eyes for a moment, relishing in the calmness of the place. The temperature felt wonderful and helped him quieten his mind. It was pleasant, and for once, Naruto wasn't buzzing non-stop in his ears like he used to do. This version of Naruto didn't feel obliged to include him in any form of social life, not that he wanted one. He was perfectly fine by himself. He didn't need people around him with their mistrust gazes or their fear of the Sharingan. If it wasn't to pay back his deeds and fulfill the promised he made with himself to support Naruto to achieve peace, he would certainly have stayed on the road and away from Konoha.

The need to yawn pressed him, but Uchihas don't yawn, so he repressed his urge, contracting his jaw to hold it in place, and disguised the whole in a form of frown usual to him. He was painfully aware that he hadn't slept well in a while, his insomnia and nightmares keeping him company at night, and a short nap before leaving for his mission sounded suddenly very appealing.

Sai's voice calling out Naruto's name in urgency, cutting off his moment of serenity. The Uchiha sent a sideways glance toward the blonde, only to outright jolt in alarm at the sight of Naruto's head slumping under water. Instantly, he grabbed the unconscious man around his torso to lift his head out of the translucent liquid, realizing then that Sai did the same as they were both unnecessarily sandwiching the blonde.

"Go call for Sakura!" The Sharingan user ordered, tightening his grip on Naruto to bring him up on the edge of the bath.

Usually, the artist would have argued, refusing any command from his supposed teammate, sending some flaming replies in a verbal joust to spit his discontentment to have him on his team. But not today, not now, with Naruto unconscious. Without an ounce of hesitation, he jumped out, grabbing his towel in one swift move, and sprinted at full speed to search for the medic.

Naruto's body was completely limp in his arms, his head lolling indolently on one side, devoid of all life. Sasuke tried to call his name, shaking him to awaken him, but the man didn't give any form of reaction. Dread crept along the former rogue ninja's spine at the prospect of the blonde drifting into coma again. He sized his best friend jaw, turning his face toward him and opened his mouth to see if he was breathing and if he hadn't swallowed his tongue. A faint ghost of air escaped the parted lips, the pink tongue slack on the lower jaw. Sasuke sighed in relief; at least Naruto was able to breathe by himself. Immediately after, his hand slid downward on the blonde's throat to ascertain the heartbeat. He could feel the small vibration created by the blood passing through the carotid. The pulse was weak, possibly the result of low blood pressure.

Noticing the overall redness of Naruto's face, the Uchiha supposed the heat could be hypothetically the cause of the blonde's sudden unconsciousness. It was a possibility, and he didn't know what else he could try while waiting for Sakura to arrive. So, latching his arms securely around Naruto's torso, he dragged the man toward the nearest shower, and turned the knob on the coolest position. The water was freezing cold, or mostly felt like it on his heated body from their previous soak in the bath. An involuntary shiver ran up his skin, drawing goosebumps along his arms and hardening his nipples under the cold flow that Sasuke ignored, his attention focused only on the inanimate man. Naruto hadn't stirred one bit even under the shocking difference of temperature which could have awakened the dead.

'What's the hell is Sakura's doing? How long could it take to come on this side?' The Uchiha gritted his teeth, shaking the blonde's shoulder again and calling his name in vain effort to get an answer. But Naruto remained lifeless, his arms dangling on his side, his head bent in an awkward angle as his neck remained limp.

"Usuratonkashi!" He tried, hoping that the nickname would permeate his consciousness and the man would instinctively react to it. It was pathetic, but he was powerless. How he envied Sakura to be able to do something in this sort of case.

XXXXXXXXXX

Sai ran as if the devil himself was at his heels. His foot slipped on the wet floor tile of the bath, making him lose his balance for a second, and he avoided the fall by a swift flick of the wrist to push himself up again to continue his mad , he opened the sliding door of the changing room with a loud bang and kept sprinting to the exit, not sparing a glance at the two men busily undressing. As he entered in a flash, he disappeared the same way.

"What a youthful attitude to train even in the bath!" Praised Lee, extricating himself out of his infamous green spandex, revealing underneath a tight-fitting black thong as the garment passed his hips.

"No wonder he's so skinny if he runs like that… He should eat more instead," Chouji commented, filling his mouth with more chips to finish his packet before leaving the room.

Sai didn't dare think of anything else, the order to urgently bring Sakura chasing away all other form of thought. He didn't even consider the tiniest possibility that it would be improper for him to enter the girl's changing room. However, it was too late as he realized his mistake, not ready for the battle he would have to face as a murderous glare fixed him as soon as he opened the door.

Tenten had joyously been preparing herself for this enjoyable moment. She had dreamed of a good, warm bath for the last twelve days she passed on a mission with her team. Twelve long days stuck with a training freak and a glutton, camping night after night in the chilling weather of the mountain of Kumo to hunt a group of rebellious rogue ninjas who robbed the surrounding villages.

She was humming a light tune to herself, neatly folding her clothes while only in her pink with red dots cotton underwear. She knew her lingerie was far from sexy, Ino being the first to always tell her to be ready, in case of. But she didn't have a boyfriend, and actually no guy in Konoha attracted her interest, so she basically didn't care that her panties looked like one of her late grandma's. Who would see them anyway?

She jolted in surprise as someone slammed the door open, and her eyes widened in horror seeing that the newcomer wasn't from the right gender. In a blink, her glare changed from horror to murderous. 'How dare he?' The next breath would be the last for the pervert as she already pulled out of nowhere two large scrolls, ready to release the sealed weapons.

Sai jumped to the right, avoiding a spear by an inch, his sharp reflexes from his time at the ROOTS the only reason he was still alive standing up in front of such a fury. The girl was undoubtedly skilled, and from where on earth was she keeping so much killing devices? The artist grabbed a nearby bench to use it as a shield as another load of shuriken flew his way. He then rolled to one side when a paper bomb followed. Women in Konoha were really dangerous creature, and this one was as full of surprises as the rest.

Unfortunately for him, he didn't bring with him his ninja tools or his paintbrush. Reason would claim to withdraw as the fight was definitively not in his favor, but the other door was so close and Naruto needed immediate medical care. A swirling wave of hundreds of kunai were shot toward him. He rolled, leaped, bended, curved, tiptoed, spread his leg like a ballerina, did a few cartwheels, and lunged to the floor only to jump back on his feet the next instant. How much more would be coming before she run out of weapon was a mystery, and was certainly the key of his survival.

As a swift kunai snagged the side of his flapping towel and pinned it to the wall, leaving him as naked as a newborn, an opportunity came about. Tenten shrieked at the man's complete nudity, her hands stopping for a brief second to throw stuff at him in her surprise. In a last streak of hope, he charged forward and flipped over the girl to reach the door to the girl's bath. Recovering fast, a manrikigusari* swung in the air, giving off a threatening whistle, launched by Tenten as his hand reached the door's handle. The metal clinked harmoniously, at least to her ears, as the chain coiled around his neck. His pupils enlarged, he fought desperately to move few inches forward, one hand extending towards the two women in the bath, the other hand preventing the chain to choke him.

"Sakura! Naruto..." He just got the time to utter the name of his friend, fulfilling his mission as the weapon master landed her foot between his shoulder blades to knock him on the ground.

At the artist interruption, the two women stopped their movement, frozen on the spot, Ino still squeezing Sakura's breasts while the pinkette pushed her friend's head away. For a flicker of a second, both of them were ready to join the other kunoichi in the proper beating of the pervert until Sai said the magic word 'Naruto'. Sakura instantly snapped and jumped out of the bath, grabbing her towel at the same time. She sized the artist's shoulders violently shaking him in her panic.

"What 'Naruto'? What's happened to him?" She screamed, sending his head flying from one side to the other, making him even dizzier after his impromptu battle.

"He c-co-llapsed..." Sai articulated in between the motion of his head.

Sakura didn't need to hear any more and sprinted to the men's bath, a worried Ino in tow. The head medic ran at a frightening speed, devouring the distance between the two changing room in a second, her feet barely touching the wooden floor before flying into another step. She was the first to enter the men's side, and passed without a care the two men in her way, sending the sturdy man blocking the entrance to the next door falling on the side. Ino followed shortly after, only to scream in horror at the view of her chubby teammate's naked butt fully exposed, his body toppled over a bench and his head on the floor.

"I'll really need some sake tonight," Ino mumbled to herself, hiding her eyes with her hands to block the traumatic sight while running blindly to the other room.

As the blonde woman passed the door, she collided with the back of her friend. Sakura was standing rooted in place, visibly under shock. Ino tentatively lowered her hands, curious to see what could be more shocking than Chōji's butt to stop Sakura in her quest. Her jaw dropped low and blood gushed out of her nose like a fountain. It was without doubt the most erotic and biggest fantasy, all in one, sight ever.

The vapor in the room was giving an ethereal atmosphere, gently clouding the air in a dream-like manner. The light sound of the flowing water was calming, lulling down in the nearly empty bath. The faint scent of soap and shampoo floated around, intoxicating the senses with their delicate fragrance, and in the background, there, the two sexiest males of all Konoha were tightly embracing each other. Naked!

The cold water splashed onto their heads, rolling down from their strong shoulders. The facetious liquid encased their well-built bodies in a smooth caress, sliding on their toned chest, dancing on their fines muscles, and following the perfect line of their back to the crease of their round and delectable buttocks. Here, the sun and its shadow intertwined, their bodies flushed against each other, Naruto's head resting abandoned on Sasuke's shoulder, face to face, the pale arms circling the tanned torso, the blonde's back's curve fitting perfectly against the other male. Their virility were just a glimpse away as Naruto's slightly bended leg greeted Ino with some golden curls on his lower belly visible.

Sakura broke out of her stupor, and the nightmare of her boyfriend in an intimate relationship with her teammate was dissipated as the voice of Sasuke called her angrily.

"What the hell are you doing, Sakura?! Come here and do your healing thing!" The Uchiha yelled at her.

Instantly, she jumped forward, Sasuke turning around to lie Naruto down on the tile floor. Quickly, she began to observe the blonde's condition: pupils, pulse, breathing, chakra. She sighed in relief as the symptoms weren't so bad, her heart rate calming down at the prospect. Expertly, her hands glowed, placing one on his forehead and one on his chest. Sasuke shifted his position, attracting her attention in her peripheral vision. He was observing her as if he was one of her students trying to learn a medical jutsu, his gaze focused on her hands and on each of her movements.

Suddenly, she realized something. She was in the men's bath, flanked only with a small towel which hardly covered her chest and the middle of her thighs, and with Sasuke and Naruto, both naked in front of her, baring a complete view of their penis. It goes without saying that her cheeks heated up, the color spreading to her ears and down her neck.

Biting her lower lip, she refocused her gaze on her boyfriend's face, and more than a little embarrassed, addressed the Uchiha. "Can you... can you bring Naruto's towel and do something for yourself?" She asked shyly.

"Tsk!" He snarled at her, standing up anyway to retrieve said objects, pissed off to be reminded to have some modesty. Was it really the time to worry for that?

Sasuke came back few seconds later, finally looking decent, and covered the blonde's crotch with the piece of cloth before sitting back at his side. His mild irritation faded fast as he saw his best friend stir up and his eyelids flutter open. Naruto was visibly disoriented and dizzy, and Sakura kept him in place, holding his shoulder as he tried to sit up.

"Take your time or you will collapse again." She informed him.

"I fainted?" The blonde man questioned. 'Oh, how lame!'

"The chakra connection was disrupted in your brain, slowing down your whole body's activity in the process. It can be a side effects of your coma. You'd better to take it easy for now; tomorrow, we will run some tests at the hospital to determine the exact reason behind it."

The blue eyes lowered from her face to the rest of her body, passing slowly from her slender neck to her creamy shoulders. His gaze continued to travel south and stopped shortly at the perky globes half hidden by her towel.

'Lovely!'

Instantly, realizing that he was checking out his best friend's girlfriend, Naruto averted his eyes from her and felt guilty for his lack of consideration of their feelings.

Sakura sensed his gaze on her, and her skin tingled in excitement. 'Tell me you still find me beautiful, like you did back then. Tell me that you want me...' As his eyes abandoned her, her heart sank.

The blond straightened himself, taking support from his elbows, feeling slightly better, and Sakura helped him this time, her hand resting on the top of his back. The contact with his wet skin felt like electricity, and she couldn't stop herself to drool at his sexy appearance. His golden hair was glistening with moist, his body nearly completely bare except for a piece of cloth lying loosely down his waist. His half-sitting posture enhanced his toned chest and abs, the muscles drawing exquisite volumes until the perfect lines of his pelvic bones. She nearly moaned out loud as her gaze followed a mischievous drop of water falling from his chin and rolling down quickly to disappear underneath the fluffy material.

It wasn't good for her to stay longer, the heat pooling in between her thighs making her restless. Composing herself as much as she could, she looked up at her teammate and tried to appear professional.

"Let him rest for ten to fifteen minutes. Keep an eye on him, he might feel nauseous. I will be waiting outside to bring him home," the pinkette requested while standing up.

Their friends crowded the door, not daring to come in and intrude the medic during her treatment. Sakura walked towards them with a fake show of calmness, as if she didn't feel the slightest awkwardness to be in the men's bath. A squeal and a blur of skin passed her in a flash. Her brain registered, somehow, that it was Lee, but she refused to look around as the image imprinted in her mind was the one of a man with a tight fitting thong for his garment.

"Naruto! How youthful of you! You're finally out of the hospital," Lee happily greeted, running toward his friend.

The taijutsu master was blocked short from hugging the blond by the stern and firm hand of the Uchiha. Naruto watched curiously at the new man. By his attitude, he could tell they were friends, and the guy knew his name as well. The blue eyes glanced up and down at the man, his scrutiny stopping at his eyebrows.

"Bushy Brow..." He mumbled out loud.

Sakura turned around, and Sasuke shot Naruto a surprised look. "You remember him?!" He asked, hopeful. 'Maybe Naruto's collapse was due to him regaining his memories.'

"No, but..." The blonde pointed at his own eyebrow in a silent answer as to why he called the guy 'Bushy Brow' as if the gesture was enough to explain.

"What 'remember'? What's going on?" Lee questioned.

Sasuke shared a glance with his teammate, and she nodded. They were all Naruto's close friends, after all. "Naruto is amnesiac." The Uchiha disclosed the information. "Very few people knew. It's a sensitive subject for his safety, so keep it to yourself."

Lee, Chouji and Tenten gasped at the news. They haven't been let in the secret until now, having left the village with the news that the blonde was just recovering in the hospital. They didn't expect such an outcome to occur.

"Did he forget all of us?" The taijutsu master continued in disbelief.

Sasuke's frown deepened, his expression grim. "He forgot everything."

Sakura sighed, and then continued to walk away. Her gaze met the face of her other teammate. Sai had joined them, the weapon master at his side clad in a bathrobe after Tenten certainly released him as soon as she understood he came in for a medical purpose. Sakura noticed the poor state he was in, and briefly assessed the damage to his body. Tenten was as sharp as ever and had unnecessarily outdone herself, as many cuts covered the artist's face and pale body. Coming closer to him, the medic activated her hands again to heal the wounds, and thanked him having to face such a danger to get to her.

Chōji passed her silently, and went to join the guys around the blonde man. With a friendly smile, he presented himself. "Hello, Naruto, I'm Chōji!"

Naruto greeted the guy back with a nod and looked at him. He has been right with 'Bushy Brow', maybe he could try again the first thing coming to his mind. Call it a sixth sense, or an incredible knowledge of Naruto's logic, all his teammates shivered in dread as the blonde opened his mouth.

"Fa... mmfff!" The blonde muffled through Sasuke's hand covering his mouth.

Sakura and Sai exhaled loudly in relief that Sasuke had been fast enough to avoid the drama. Once she was finished with the artist, Sakura grabbed Ino by the elbow and pulled her out of the men's bath as the woman didn't stop for a second to daydream and ogle at Sasuke and Naruto, her mind lost in her dirty fantasy.

Twenty minutes later, Sasuke and Sai accompanied Naruto out, and found the girls chatting on the bench on the common space by the entrance, waiting for them to arrive. Naruto apologized for the trouble and worry he caused to everyone, while Ino gave the guys an appraising look: Sasuke was divine, Naruto regal, and Sai handsome.

The Yamanaka heiress patted her best friend's back, whispering discreetly. "You really got the best luck with your team. If they were on my team, I wouldn't mind kissing my teammates," she confessed.

Sakura shot a dark glare at the hungry stare the blonde woman was giving her teammates, and menacingly growled when Ino stood up to walk toward them. The pinkette suddenly wanted to smack the other girl's head as she shamelessly turned to Naruto, studying him from head to toe.

"Your new hairstyle suits you really well, Naruto!" Ino flirtatiously chirped, enraging her best friend and rival more and more.

Clumsily rubbing the back of his head, Naruto blushed, flattered by the compliment. "Hahaha... Thank you." However, his easy smile faltered the next second as the blonde man caught the beginning of a smug smile on the Uchiha's generally expressionless face, screaming at him a glorious 'See, I was right!' look.

Sakura joined Ino in one leap and grabbed the girl to pull her to a safer distance from her amnesiac boyfriend. Sai observed curiously at the protective gesture and conjectured it with another element he witnessed in the bath.

"Are you two together?" The artist asked the girl bluntly.

"What nonsense!" Sakura spurted shocked.

"I thought that with how possessive you were and Ino touching your breasts in the bath..." He trailed to explain his conclusion.

Naruto's cheeks blushed even more, some droplets blood nearly dripping down from his nose. There's no doubt the guy was having a vivid image in his head of the two girls naked and sensually caressing each other in the bath.

Sasuke gave Sakura an explicit glance with the clear subtitle, 'And you dare accusing me to be gay, when you're the one flirting with the same gender?'

Ino laughed at the incongruity of such supposition, while Sakura turned bright red, defending themselves. "We're not in that type of relationship! She was… She was..."

'What was she doing exactly, this pervert?'

In the time Sakura was still searching for a valid explanation, Sai continued, confused, "I can understand you, Ino is an attractive woman, you don't have to explain, Ugly"

A vein dangerously popped on Sakura forehead, and Sai cowered behind Naruto. He had enough beating for one day, and Sakura's glowing fist presaged nothing good. "'No violence', Tsunade-sama said! You could hurt Naruto while trying to hit me..." He waved his finger as he lectured his teammate, but was cut short with the punch sending him fly to the other side of the room.

"Don't underestimate my precision, Sai," Sakura said, dusting her hand in self satisfaction. Her gaze flickered to the blond man, he was petrified, dumbfounded by the speed and sheer force the small girl could perform.

The pinkette grabbed the blond man's elbow and pulled him towards her authoritatively. "Let's go back home!" She told Naruto, "You need to rest, and they have a mission to do."

"Don't you have to stop by your place first?" Sasuke casually asked, joining Sakura. Once Kakashi announced the mission, they've discussed about her staying with Naruto, and she shared her thought about making a detour to her house to bring some clothes for few days.

"Ino said she would bring me a bag. It's better if I stay around Naruto for the next few hours to monitor him," she informed her teammate, and Sasuke nodded, agreeing with her.

Arriving at the exit, Sasuke glanced at the blond, not really eager to do his duty, and Naruto shook his head in refusal at the silent question. No, he didn't need a piggy back ride, and would certainly never accept it again in his life. He was fine, and his pride was already painfully shattered enough for one day.

 **PLEASE REVIEW!**

 **AN AUTHOR WORK IS TO WRITE/READERS WORK IS TO REVIEW**

 **It is a simple of kindness**


	19. Chapter 19

**_THANKS TO GINA TSUKIKO For Beta reading the chapter_**

 _YeagerMeister31: There was nothing between Naruto and Sasuke. It is mostly in Ino's fantaisies. Thank you to always be here!_

 _BlindSaya: I will finish this story. But I have no will to continue further. Thank you for your support_

 _naj677: They are cute together. But for now, I will turn toward SakuNaru a little._

 _RSfan: Review are no number to me. They are people. Some come. Some goes. It's hurt when people stop, it's like: Why did they stop? It's hurt when people don't say a thing, it's like: Was it bad? Thank you to have review, to have make this effort. You don't know how valuable your presence is. I find your English pretty good actually. And if you want, I can read a little Italian (google helping for the part that I don't get). If you wonder why there is so much stories incomplete, think just that the author might have lost faith or interest in working his/her ass out for something which didn't catch the interest of his/her reader. I wanted to throw this story out of the window million of time. And I keep strong just because there is still people kind enough to connect with me. Reviews are a real motivation to me (and certainly many author). The other day I was able to complete a whole chapter just because one person have review with interest each and every chapter of my stories. Just one person is sometime able to make the difference and make our work worth it. People are so important to me, you can't even imagine how much I value my reader and hope to exchange with them, know if they liked it or not. When I write I hope I will make you laugh, cry, tremble and all the rest. And I selfishly want to know if I managed it or not. Sorry to be so demanding. But there is no point in sharing if there is no return for my work. Thank you to have expressed write to me._

 _LimJJ: Thank you to be here. There isn't a question of number of review, but of people giving me feedback on my work. it's about connecting with other. It can't be one-sided for me._

 _Guest: Thank_

 _Touken:For now the stories will stay longer. How could I know that you were still reading them from time to time? I am not comparing to other. I say what I need. If the other writer are happy with the silence of their reader, good for them. I am not. Because your reviews were never about a matter of number. It is a connection that I make with people, Human behind their screen, who knows where on this planet. You are more than a number. It's all about sharing, giving and receiving. Thank you for your support. I always look forward to see your opinion._

 _Eremika: How do you feel when someone review? Happy? Motivated? and How do you feel when they don't? disappointment? anxiety? Hurt? So this is basically how it works for me. I ask because I want. And you can't know that I need it if I don't ask for it. I can't know that people are still reading my previous work if nobody tell me. I wanted to simply delete my account because I am hurt. But if I don't say it, nobody will know. Thank you to be here you are important to me._

 _sinedd662: thank_

 _Alex: There will be 31 chapters I suppose, I am butchering the end to finish it short. Thank you for leaving a review which whichever mean you can. I really appreciate._

 _Donthedarkdragon26: I will finish this story and take a well deserved (undefined) fucking long break from writing. I need a break before I broke. Thank you for your support. I hope to see you more often. You are really important to me._

 _maxslayer: Yeah Sakura is getting really horny for her amnesiac boyfriend. For the idea of deleting my account is because I might take a really really long break and I might end up forgetting my password (it happened to me on another website where I was writing in my first language. after 4 years, I completely forgot and lost completely the control on my own stories). For the laptop, I can afford a new one before new year. Thank you for being here. I really appreciate your kindness._

 _Guess: Thank you for your review. I will let my stories a little bit longuer. The best way to keep me interested in letting things here is to give me return on your impression on my work. Thank you!_

 _Undrneath: I have a story. I have plenty of them actually. But sharing is for another purpose. Sharing is for connecting with other. People are important, and they matter. Their opinion of my work matter. I agree that it is beneath any self respecting writer to ask. I shouldn't have to ask. But maybe I am not a good enough writer to receive without asking. And I still need support to keep motivated. So here I am: Or I quit or I ask._

 _HITMAN0569: I didn't know you loved How I fell in love so much. I didn't know it was important to you. I was thinking it lost all it's purpose and interest. I will let them a little longer. Thank you for being here_

 _nicky5535: Thank you! I hope you will like this one until the end._

 _phhsdj: I have a plan for them. I hope you will like it._

 _eight heroes: I hope I will reach the end soon. Thank you for being here._

 _rosaaerith:More scene with Narusaku will begin to come from now on. He will get his memories back slowly. Thank you for your support._

 _Guest: I might be able to update faster. My work is nearly done. I hope you will continue to like it._

 _Guest: I will try my best to finish it. For it to be published, it will only depend on the readers. Thank you for your support_

 _narusakufanfanfic1: I hope you will like it until the end. It will be my last... I am too exhausted to continue. I need to go back to a normal life, with friends, love and stop sleeping with my laptop._

 _mrawesome63: Thank you. I hope you will continue to like it._

 _Tenten1001: Thank you!_

 _joey91731: Yeah Ino liked what she saw. Thank you for being here_

 _Aewina-chan: Tes commentaires me font toujours tellment plaisir. J'adore connaitre tes reactions et tes ressentis. MERCI! MERCI MILLE FOIS pour ton soutien._

 _ThatPageantGirl: Misunderstanding is the key of most problem between people. Thank you for your support. I will try my best to finish this story._

 _Aqua Rules: I hope you're well. I don't see you as often. Ino is a very funny character to work with. Naruto will have some memories back, but slowly. But don't worry, all was planned. I did it for a good reason. Thank you for being here._

 ** _Chap 18: Blissful ignorance_**

Naruto jumped to his feet, leaving his couch as he heard the discreet sound of footsteps coming down the stairs. He walked toward the entrance where the dark-haired shinobi was putting on his sandals. It was strange to think that the man would leave. Sasuke had been with him all the time since he had woken up from his coma. He suddenly felt lost, lonely, like in his childhood's souvenirs. Sasuke was important to him. The guy knew he was a monster and was still treating him like family.

Sakura appeared within the kitchen door, wearing a cute apron that she had left in Naruto's house for every time she cooked there to force feed him some vegetables. She came and stood at the blond's side and Sasuke for a brief second looked at them from below his dark bangs.

' _They would make a cute couple. No, they are a cute couple.'_ , Sasuke corrected himself mentally. Where was his place between those two? Soon, their child would be born and with some luck, Naruto would remember his past. What would he do then? Should he leave the village again? The former rogue ninja finished fastening his shoes and straightened up. His face was devoid of emotion, but his mind was unsettled.

"So you're going..." Naruto stated, a little disheartened.

"Hnn."

"Do you want my Katsuyu to come with you?" Sakura offered, not really happy to let her team go without a medic-nin.

"No thanks. Don't need and she's ugly."

"What are you talking about? She can heal you and she's cuter than a snake!" She riposted, feeling offended.

"Unlike you guys, I don't get hurt. Though the moron might – you should give her to him."

"Don't talk bad about Sai! He's irritating sometimes, but he's not a bad guy." Sakura lectured him.

"Yeah, I know. Kakashi was very clear. If I want to come back to Konoha, he has to stay alive."

Naruto tightened his fists. He didn't know why, but his heart clenched at the idea of his friend not coming back. He stepped down and snaked his arms around Sasuke's neck, his face close against the man's left cheek. His voice was barely a whisper in the dark-haired man's ear, but the determination seeping into his words was heavy and strong.

"Promise you will come back – Promise you will come back or I will search for you!" Naruto tightened his hold a bit more as to not let him go without the assurance to see him again.

Sasuke was shocked, frozen in place. He didn't know how to deal with any form of affection, but what rooted him to the spot more was Naruto's declaration to search for him. No matter how many lives passed. No matter if the story had to be rewritten all over again. There was a bond between them, an indestructible bond.

"I will." The Uchiha swore solemnly.

"I'm glad, Nii-san." Naruto whispered, releasing his grip, smiling reassuringly at the raven haired shinobi.

There were very few things which could happen in an Uchiha's life as rare as a huge meteorite crashing to earth could be, such as Uchiha laughing, a Uchiha crying, and the last but not the most common, a Uchiha blushing. So it's wide eyed that Sakura witnessed the unexpected event, Sasuke red faced and shy, looking straight at the blond man in front of him, dumbfounded. But like all rare eerie phenomenon, it was as transient as a shooting star, as Sasuke replaced in a flash his emotionless mask as soon as he noticed his slip of countenance.

Coughing into his fist to hide his embarrassment, the former rogue ninja quickly nodded his farewell, taking off without looking more at the pair. Naruto turned around smiling, satisfied with Sasuke's answer, and stepped up near the pinkette. Sakura, still gaping, stared at him, her brain wondering, how on earth had Naruto managed to get such a reaction from _The Uchiha Sasuke_?

"What did you tell him?" She asked, astounded, when her amnesic boyfriend was at her level.

Naruto scratched his cheek, "To come back..." He said hesitantly. ' _Was it bad?'_

"That's all?"

"Yeah, nothing much..." He didn't see the point in telling her word for word what he said. It was the same meaning after all.

Naruto looked down at her, the apron around her waist and the tiny drop of tomato sauce on her cheek. She was so adorable like that, like a perfect little wife, and if she had been his, he would have loved to lick her clean. But she wasn't, she was Sasuke's girlfriend. So he just lifted his hand, tenderly wiping the red liquid with his thumb, spellbound by her lovely rosy lips. .

She shivered at the contact, mesmerized by his gentle gaze her heart thumping in her chest with unbridled love. What would she give to go back to that night, that night were they confessed their love? – What would she give to have him against her, finding again in his embrace a peace like none other in her life? He was so close that she could just go to the tip of her toes and reach his lips. Maybe she could just tell him that he had loved her. Maybe they could be together again...

The bell rang, breaking the moment, and Naruto stepped aside, looking all too distant and unreachable. His eyes avoided hers, his body tensed, uncomfortable, feeling guilty for his licentious attraction for the woman. He carefully made sure to not meet her eyes again, not trusting himself to not do something reprehensible to her, and walked away, escaping his desires. He shouldn't, he shouldn't, he repeated to himself. He nearly wanted to bang his head against the wall to engrave the fact into his thick skull. She was Sasuke's, his brother – and they were having a baby. No matter how lovable she was, he couldn't interfere with their happiness. He felt even more guilty that Sasuke had just barely left. How could he lust for her behind his brother's back?

Sakura cursed all the gods of hell, darkly glaring at the entrance, ready to crush into dust the unwelcome visitor as Naruto went to open the damn door. It was Ino, the one, the only, the unique, the most flirtatious evil in a skirt possible. The girl was already all smiles, cutely squirming and batting her insanely long eyelashes while playing with her ponytail. Sakura's glare pinned her and Ino ignored her splendidly and continued to chat with the clueless Naruto, shamelessly smiling and explicitly flirting.

For a little while, the pinkette wondered if the blonde woman wasn't doing it on purpose as Ino had never been one to like blonde guys, but the scene in the men's bath was sure enough to be stronger than any love potion. Inner-Sakura was vehemently yelling and sending her fists flying in her realm with the need to punch the blonde girl's face, cursing like an old pirate with enough colorful words to paint a gigantic mural; Sakura forced a polite smile to make leave her eternal rival.

The pinkette joined the pair, stepping in between the two, and grabbed the bag from Ino's hands. "Thank you Pig! I wouldn't want to waste more of your time – I'll let you go."

"Don't sweat it Forehead! That's what friends are for, and I was so worried for Naruto- _kun_." She dismissed Sakura's attempt to chase her away, like a witch sweeping the floor with her broom.

 _'Kun? Naruto-kun? Is she kidding?'_ Instinctively, Sakura's fists tightened. She leaned forward, her forehead knocking on Ino's. Her glare was ferocious, her teeth grinding dangerously. "I told you to not play this game with him – he's not a toy." The pinkette hissed in a low voice.

Ino gloated at her effect, Sakura's reaction was more than a point-blank confession. "If you want him, take him. If not, he's free for others..." She warned, mischievously smiling to let her believe she was in the race.

"Thanks for the bag!" Sakura told her, slamming the door on the predatory Yamanaka, not knowing that Ino was laughing, imagining Sakura's face once she opened the bag.

Naruto blinked, surprised by Sakura's reaction. He didn't understand why the woman looked so angry with her friend. Did he miss something? Was that their normal way of interacting? Ino was just being nice, bringing Sakura a bag and offering to show him some gardening tricks.

"What's wrong Sakura?"

"Nothing!" The pinkette lied, replying more dryly than she should, still fixing the closed door with a glare and huffing.

"Oh? You sure?" He insisted, worried.

Sakura realized that her action was a bit excessive; her temper had been so close to exploding, her hormones playing around like a roller-coaster with some dramatic flips and loops in her system. She looked up at him self-consciously, her cheeks pink from embarrassment at showing him her bad side, and he immediately averted his eyes still unable to hold her gaze without feeling at fault.

"It's not my business I guess. Sorry." Naruto apologized. Stuffing his hands in his pockets, he just turned his back on her without a word or a glance, making his way back to the living room.

 _'Was he sad that Ino didn't stay to dine with us?'_ Sakura longingly watched him as she walked to the kitchen. Naruto was standing in front of his bookcase, reading the titles of different volumes in it. She took in the details of his well-built figure, from his wide and robust shoulders, to how the material of his shirt lusciously stretched over his shoulder blades and muscles. She mentally undressed him, remembering each line of his body, remembering his skin soft under her palms and the slow dance of his muscles of each bunch and flex. She snapped out of her reverie as his eyes met hers for a second. Naruto must have felt her gaze on his back as surreptitiously he glanced at her, before uninterestedly returning his attention to the gray covered book in his hand.

She wanted to cry. How was she supposed to act when she daydreamed constantly about him? She was becoming obsessed. She was holding so tightly to this past between them, so desperately, refusing its end, refusing that his feelings could have changed. It was killing her to not exist for him anymore.

However, it was clear to her. Naruto wasn't even looking at her, indifferent of whether she was here or not. She had thought that she was beginning to be closer to him. She had thought that his smile this morning was the awakening of a bond between them. But without Sasuke here, Naruto had withdrawn into a form of silence.

She wanted to be with him, she wanted him to look at her like he always had before. She could have told him that they loved each other, that she was pregnant because of him. But it wasn't fair to just drop on him feelings that he didn't have and responsibilities that he might not want anymore. She pressed her hand on her belly. Here, safe, was all she had left from their love, it was hers and nobody could take it from her. Sakura sighed, defeated, her heart sinking deeper into depression, leaving to prepare their meal.

XXXXXXX

The dinner went by in a strange cold atmosphere, making her feel incredibly uncomfortable. Naruto was horribly distant and quiet, not establishing more contact with her than what was needed. So she wondered if he was like that because it was just the two of them. Did he dislike being only with her so much? It was unfair. She had found him laughing when he was alone with Sasuke, but with her he was reserved, and 'reserved' was certainly not a word she would have ever used to describe Naruto. She hoped to have more time with him, to deepen their connection. She hoped he would remember her if she stayed around, but he kept running away, being here without being with her, letting her be lonely with her unrequited feelings for him.

Naruto just excused himself for the night after bringing the dirty dishes to the kitchen when she insisted on doing the washing. He nodded silently, his smile strained, ill at ease, his eyes never encountering hers and she watched the man, this stranger, walk up the stairs. She missed him like hell. She missed their time together, their laughs, she missed his gaze meeting hers in silent understanding. She missed those simple evenings spent together lying on his couch, sharing their most bizarre and absurd thoughts without worrying that the other might find it weird – talking for long hours and laughing even more.

Naruto was her insanely faithful accomplice. In everything. He listened to her when she vented about all the little wrong goings on in her life without complaint, giving her only his complete attention as if what she was telling him was the most important thing in the world. When she was at her lowest after losing a patient, he would be there, patting her head gently. He would sit with her as she would crawl under the blanket on his couch, stealing the last pack of ice-cream, unashamedly eating it all with a big spoon, looking absolutely pitiful – and he would still praise her, telling her she was the best, saying that if she couldn't save the poor soul, nobody would have been able to. He would find the words, he would do something to distract her or to make her smile. Naruto was her cheerleader, her ray of sunshine to help her pull through the worst in the world.

She hiccuped, restraining a sob, drying the freshly washed plate. She was so lonely without him. So lonely that it was frightening. Her Naruto would have known she wasn't fine, he was always able to tell, without exchanging words or even after she told him the opposite. He would have stayed with her, finding thousands of excuses to help her with the dishes and have her confess her troubles. If she was angry because of him, he would have endured her wrath, kindheartedly. He would have tried to do something funny, making it hard for her to keep a serious 'angry' face for more than a few seconds before breaking at his never ending jokes.

 _Her Naruto..._

A few tears escaped her eyes, her shoulders shaking uncontrollably, her back crouched forward, and her head hanging low. Her fingers gripped the edge of the sink, deforming the surface under the pressure of her digits. How was it possible to miss someone who was just in the next room so much? How was it possible to have all those years gone in a cloud of smoke? All those little things between them, those precious, precious moments burned into ashes? Her throat tightened, suffocating under the lacerating sensations of an overload of was he? The man she loved. The man she trusted. Her best friend. Her unbreakable support. Where was her Naruto?

She wanted nothing more than to fall to the ground and cry his name in despair, hoping that he would hear her and come to save her again, hoping to see his unshakable smile, and together they would defy all odds. They would fight and they would win. Together. She was the most powerful kunoichi of her generation, but her real strength was Naruto.

The tears slowed down, having finished their work. She was drained, her forces washed away, leaving her with only the bitter taste of her nostalgia. With the back of her sleeve, Sakura dried her face. There was no point in crying, she knew it. She was just pathetic. She allowed herself one more minute, another minute to relish in her pity-party, keeping her eyes closed and reliving in her mind all the moments with him she stupidly took for granted. Then a last heavy exhalation escaped her lips, as to release the weight on her heart, and she erased from her face all trace of her previous tears with some healing chakra to not have her eyes red. She had to continue forward, to have faith, and keep fighting. The Will of Fire, his Will of Fire, was to never give up, and she would follow it – whatever it takes.

The pinkette grabbed her bag at the entrance, and made her way up the steps. She decided to take the guestroom located in front of Naruto's, to be able to react more easily if anything happened during the night. Upon seeing the dim light passing under the crack of his door, she considered visiting him, as he wasn't sleeping yet. It was only half of an excuse to see him, the main reason being to check on his health to be sure his system responded correctly. Abandoning her bag at her feet, she knocked lightly, and then waited for his voice to invite her to come in. He appeared to be surprised, when she opened the door, not expecting her visit.

Naruto was lying in his bed, his back slightly up with the support of pillows, a book in his hands, and shirtless – shirtless being the most distracting thing in sight. The blond had changed to sleep in a loose pajama pants, and was for now above the bed sheets. Sakura bit her lower lip, her eyes roaming over his uncovered chest, and she began to feel the warmth creeping up her face. She wasn't sure anymore that her motives were right and honorable, even less as her gaze met his oceanic eyes.

 _His eyes..._

She wondered when she had begun to notice that more than twenty nuances of blue swirled in his irises, changing the enthralling color slightly depending on the weather or his mood. It had been a fascinating discovery, and she remembered having spent many hours to taking note of all the possible variations, observing him on their missions, their training, or their simple daily life in the village.

Her analysis of the correlation between the parameters and the modification in the shades of blue brought her to the conclusion that in the sun his eyes were clearer, cerulean like a lagoon on a paradisiacal island, and when it was raining the blue was darker, somber like the depth of an ocean. Sometimes his mood was so bright that she thought his orbs were like the a sunny summer sky, breathing of happiness, life, and hope. Sometimes she witnessed him on rare occasions, brooding in his garden in silence over something he would never tell her and his gaze would take on a slight tinge of gray as if some clouds had melted in a tormented sea. His eyes were never dull or inexpressive, she could read on his face all of his emotions, and she loved so much to be able to light a sparkle of light, make them shift from the dark blue to the azure with just a few words or a smile. She loved to be important to him like he was important to her.

For once tonight, Naruto was looking straight at her, and her heart began to pound stupidly fast at this fact. With him like that and his gaze on her, she felt like melting into a puddle of goo, her legs becoming more and more jelly-like by the second. Sakura cleared her throat, trying to keep her emotions in check to not make a show of herself. She passed a curl behind her ear with a nervous movement, approaching his bed with fake assurance.

"I – I came to check on you, see if you're alright." She mumbled hesitantly, wondering if he could see through her and her desire for him.

"Yeah – Hmm – I'm all good. No more trouble!" Naruto dismissed her worries nonchalantly, as if abruptly blacking out in the bath was absolutely no big deal even for a man recently waking up from a coma.

Sakura glanced at the free space on the bed, and quickly at the golden skin of his abdomen. How she resisted not making love with him for so many years was a complete mystery as a pool of heat boiled between her thighs at the simple glimpse of his naked torso. She knew how. She had been blissfully ignorant, full of the natural self-restraint of virginity. Unaware. Unaware of the taste of his lips. Unaware of the fire of his hands. Unaware of how she could reach heaven in his embrace. _Oh Kami!_ It was insane torture to be near him without being with him.

Tightening her hands in fists to keep herself from caressing him, she abruptly sat down, looking at her lap for a moment to calm herself. Sakura inhaled deeply, forcing herself to be in control. She was Konoha's head medic, she had to act like it, she repeated in her mind to shut down the interminable suggestions of sexual assaults coming from her inner-counterpart. She was a pervert – a full-blown pervert. There was no way to deny it . She wanted nothing more than to kiss and lick him all over until he called her _'Sakura-chan'_ again.

"I still have to monitor your vitals." Sakura informed him, turning her gaze toward him finally.

Their eyes met, it was brief, brief but enough to make her unbalanced. How such a simple eyes contact could ablaze a body should immediately be classified an A class jutsu as the _self inner combustion jutsu_. Chasing away the dirty thoughts behind a mask of professionalism, she glanced at the book in his hands to not shamelessly stare at him.

Sakura immediately recognized the novel, 'The Gutsy Ninja', and a small smile brightened her face. Naruto loved this book. It was one of his favorite. He had told her that he had read it more than ten times and was able to perfectly quote some passages by heart. It was so pleasant to see him devour it with the same eagerness.

"You like it?" She asked to start a small conversation with him, as she extended her hand to touch his wrist to feel his pulse.

Her gaze was suddenly focused on her work, and Sakura didn't remark on the short silent pause he took. She was too concentrated on counting the beats of his heart, her medic mode kicking in, that his lingering stare on her passed unnoticed. The young woman, satisfied with the result, turned her face toward him and he quickly averted his gaze to the side not to be discovered.

"It's a good story until now."

"It's one of your favorite – I like it too, the hero always made me think of you." She confided.

"Yeah, it's fun, the main character's name is Naruto – like me." Naruto told her, his eyes coming back to her, getting more enthusiastic about the book and forgetting his awkwardness for a moment.

"I think you told me you suspected your name came from it. Your father and Jiraiya-sensei were friends after all."

"Hahaha! My name came from it? I thought at first that my parents were ramen fans or my mom got a fishcake fetish during her pregnancy or something of that sort. Hahaha!"

She giggled at Naruto's hypotheses for his name, only Naruto could come up with such improbable suppositions. It was good to laugh with him, he was really her best remedy for depression.

As their chuckles slowly died down, their eyes met again. Here in the azure of his eyes danced a wave clearer at the center of his irises, a little something which made her spine tingle all the way down to her toes. Her mouth was dry, all laughter forgotten, his name silently sealed on the tip of her tongue, and she swore that for a moment, he was himself. There, right here, with her. There in his carefree smile. There in his unmistakable gaze. It was Him. _Her Naruto._ Her heart skipped a beat, and intuitively, her hand touched his cheek, thumb grazing his whiskers as if to assure that he was real, that she wasn't dreaming.

Naruto was laughing, relieved that his parents weren't such freaks as to have given him a fishcake name, and embarrassed to have voiced his theory out loud. What was he thinking when he said that? His mouth just ran faster than any logic coming from his brain. Hearing her chuckle with him, however, alleviated his shame. Her giggles were adorable, echoing in a joyous melody for his heart. He would make a clown out of himself a thousand times just to hear more of it, and her smile – God! her smile would be the death of him.

Their eyes met, and he forgot how to breathe. Her eyes were the purest jade color, green like a new leaf sprouting in the spring. He was hypnotized, unable to move, to think, to escape her spell. His heart jumped into his throat the next instant as he felt the softest touch ever on his cheek and the small caress of her digit on his skin. He wanted to press more against the contact, to keep it forever on him. Naruto nearly indulged himself in his fantasy, tilting his head slightly, but stopped himself on time, and broke eye contact with her. She wasn't just any girl, she was Sakura.

"Naruto." His name escaped her lips in a whisper. It was a plea from her heart, a wish to God to be answered by him, to see in his eyes the same light again. The blue shifted like it was buffeted by a gust of wind, suddenly darker, his gaze seemed stern and serious. The moment was broken, lost forever in the limbo of the past like it never existed. Sakura swallowed her dashed hopes, and returned to her previous activity.

"I'll just check your pupils response to be sure that your parasympathetic system is working properly." She soberly explained to him as she pulled the small flashlight she always carried around in her medic habit out of her pocket.

He let her, fixing the light from blinding him for a second. It was easy and secure. She was his doctor and he was her patient. He just had to do what she asked him to. All she was doing was taking care of him for health purpose. There was no meaning behind her warm hand on his cheek, no meaning behind the way she looked at him, no meaning in the way she uttered his name. It was all in his head, all because he was lost and wanted some comfort. There was nothing more to it, he tried to convince himself, biting his inner cheek to distract himself from her presence.

The pupils reacted normally to the bright light exposure, there was no apparent sign of a lesion or any other major dysfunction. She activated her healing hand to check on the flow of chakra in his head. Naruto's chakra process was performing properly as well. He was in no immediate danger, the previous disruption restored to a sufficient level of operation. She could go now, she'd finished with him. She spared him a last glance before taking her hand back. Naruto had closed his eyes, his face impassible as if he had fallen asleep sitting. It was a possibility, Naruto was always able to fall asleep in all situations and in all positions.

Sakura enjoyed the short respite, and looked at him without reserve. She thought she knew all of his features by heart, how his whiskers striped his cheeks to give a mischievous note to his manly appearance, how his eyelashes curved at the end, or how his brows furrowed, creasing the skin between them when he concentrated on something. She thought she had seen all of him, and again he surprised her. Her Naruto really was full of surprises. His hair nicely combed backward was giving him such a mature aura. Her unruly man was like a perfect gentleman tonight. She internally chuckled. It was tantalizing. She had no idea why she couldn't stop wanting to touch him all the time, whatever part of him. She was attracted to him like iron to a magnet, and her hand reached up to graze the sun-kissed hair, passing her fingers through the now soft and untangled curls.

"It suits you. I never managed to do as such with you." Sakura told him contemplative, fascinated by the refined aspect of the golden strands between her fingers.

His heart jumped when her fingertips touched his hair. It felt like electricity jetting through each fiber and entering his skull to subtly revive his senses. The gesture was innocent, but he found it incredibly erotic. There was something – something special to it – or maybe was it because she was special? He hadn't felt at all excited when it was Sasuke touching his hair. _Sasuke_. Just the thought of the man was like a cold shower, and quickly discarded all lustful fantasies.

"Sasuke did it – he tore my head off! I thought I would end up bald, 'ttebayo." Naruto complained like a sulking child.

She smiled, _'ttebayo'_. She liked his quirk of speech. "Well – when I tried, we just decided to cut your hair as the comb got stuck in it." Sakura recalled her own experience.

"Cut my hair? But it's like my dad's..." He trailed off. ' _How could I have wanted to do that?'_

"You said it was easier, and you asked me to keep it short for you afterward."

 _'Easier? Isn't it easier to just do nothing about it and have it long?'_

"Really?" The blond pulled a strand in front and looked at it, lifting his gaze up. ' _Why?'_

Her hand abandoned his hair with regret, gently sliding her fingers through his hair until the tips were no longer touching him. A shudder ran amok on his spine, and he admitted to himself that he would gladly give up on his locks to have her touch them more.

"Could you cut them for me again?" He heard himself ask her on a whim.

"N - Now?"

"Whenever." It was official, he was pitiful. To what extent he would go for a small contact really was ridiculous.

"Yeah, sure." Sakura accepted without hesitation, too happy to be able to do something for him.

The young woman jumped on her feet the next instant and went to retrieve a comb and a pair of scissors she kept in his house for her hair dresser duty, as she called it before. Once gone, Naruto hid his face in his hands at his stupid suggestion. It wasn't good. It actually was the opposite of what he planned. He had wanted to keep a safe distance from her to avoid any temptation. He had wanted some time to be in control and have a healthy friendship with her, nothing more. He had wanted many things, to be a good brother, to be a good friend – and he ended up being none of that.

Sakura returned, a small smile adorning her lips. She installed herself just behind him, his naked back on full display. The dim light of the room was drawing shadows on his sculpted body, teasing her with sensual lines, voluptuous curves on his spine, highlighting his shoulder blades, and playfully showing off the exquisite dimples on his lower back. Sakura bit her lower lip restraining a moan from surfacing indecently – her man was a crime against chastity. She shook her head to chase the inappropriate idea away, and unfolded a bed linen to cover him, trying with effort to focus on her duty. She passed the sheet from his left, and nearly pressed herself against him to grab onto the material on the other side.

His smell. His freshly soaped skin.

Some of her brain cells melted, a fatal result of such a close exposure to his scent. His hair smelled like the sample shampoo from the public bath, but beyond that she could recognize his earthy perfume perfectly well. Sakura nearly unconsciously sniffed him, and so much more. It was a close call that she stopped herself a couple of inches away from his neck, coming back to reality. She shut her eyes tightly and counted to ten, trying to reign in her insane craving for him. He was a real drug, and she was addicted to him since the first hit. It wasn't her fault. She would have played the perfect best friend for years, centuries even, if they hadn't trespassed across the ultimate boundary between them, if she hadn't tasted him. Now that she knew, it was hard to ignore her sexual attraction.

It was one thing to want him, it was another to share the same desire.

Withdrawing to a reasonable distance, she finished tying the cloth around his neck, her fingers brushing his skin as she made the knot. The pinkette felt her cheeks heating up at all the lecherous comments from Inner-Sakura, and was grateful to be hidden behind him. She needed to concentrate and stay in control. Inhaling deeply, her hand gripped the comb, and she completely emptied her lungs before starting her job. Carefully, she passed the device through his hair, pulling from the front, and following the curve of his head to his nape. Sakura purposely moved slowly, enjoying the providential proximity to the max. She could have brushed his hair the whole night if it meant staying with him. There was a knot. Normally, she would have pulled harder on the brush like she did for herself to neaten the strands, but she preferred instead to take her time again, and manually untied them.

She felt reinvigorated being around him, just hanging out in the same room even if they weren't talking. This small moment between them was so much like the ones they used to share. Just the two of them, together.

She remembered the first time she cut his hair, how they had decided to arrive to that point. They were sitting on his sofa and he had wanted to try her comb out of curiosity when he saw her brush her hair after their short sparing. The comb had been engulfed in the mess of his spiky hair; twenty formidable years without brushing them even once, he admitted to her afterward. She remembered how she was complaining all the while, being irritated without being truly irritated, secretly enjoying the moment and their connectedness. It had been one of those lazy days off, turning from utterly boring to unexpectedly full of laughter and entertainment. One of those days where just being with him made all the difference. With a sigh charged with regrets, she began to cut the first strands – what would she give to go back to those happy days...

Naruto complied without much of a thought when Sakura came back and invited him to sit on the side of the bed. It was still safe. Then the tension augmented a bit more, and he imperceptibly stiffened as she moved closer to pass a large sheet around him to collect the hair to be cut. It was simple, harmless, there was nothing to be ashamed about, but still. His face contorted in the form of a grimace as he tried to not let his mind wander in unnecessary fantasies when her breasts ghostly touched his back as she circled him with her arms to adjust the material. Now, it was too much, even with the best intentions, he was just a man. What a delicious torture to be so close and to know it was forbidden!

Her hands caressed his hair and Sakura passed the comb with an excruciating slowness over his whole head, careful to not pull at any knots, instead letting her fingers untangle the strands to not hurt him. Naruto swallowed with difficulty, his heart rate increasing significantly. There was something magical about her hands, something in the ephemeral contact of her soft fingertips on his scalp. He should be damned for enjoying such an ingenuous act so much. But could he really dictate to his body what he should feel? Could he prevent electricity from wildly dancing on his skin or his nerves to be ultra sensible to everything she did?

It was bad, but now it was too late to withdraw, some blond curls were already falling on his shoulders. He should have bit his tongue instead of asking such a request from her. He just had to endure; endure the ineluctable rousing of his cock. He could feel it, coming to life, swelling dangerously, and filling his pants. It was embarrassing and he squirmed around trying to pull more on the bed linen covering him to avoid the starting bulge from becoming noticeable. He prayed that she would finish quickly, but hoped the opposite at the same time. How conflicting it could be to wish to prolong the gentleness of her touch and to fear his own growing attraction for the girl.

By the time Sakura completed her work Naruto was half hard, doing everything in his power to not let his penis grow more. His eyes opened wide in panic when her soft voice caressed his ears, telling him that she would remove the bed sheet to gather the fallen hair – _The last protection from being exposed_.

His gaze frenetically searched on both sides what could replace the material to hide his semi-erection. _Team seven's picture. The pillow. The book._ In a last resort, he just dashed to the door as soon as the fabric uncovered him. She blinked, surprised at his leaving figure. Did he have a pressing need to go to the bathroom? It happened before, he told her once that he had been resisting his urge the whole time to not disturb her. It was most likely that as she heard the bathroom door at the end of the corridor slam shut.

Naruto leaned back against the wooden door and looked down toward his pants. The thin and loose material of his pajama bottoms wasn't leaving much to the imagination. It was pretty obvious and he couldn't decently go back to his room as long as the bulge didn't disappear. The fastest way to get rid of it when his excitement didn't want to subside, as any thought invariably deviated to some sexy feature about the only girl he shouldn't covet, was to release the pressure the old fashion way.

With a swift pull of the hand, he let his pants and underwear fall at his ankles. Naked and determined, he stepped out of his garments, and walked in his shower. A last glance south told him that his body enjoyed the idea of a little self-pleasure, as he could see his cock standing taller. This was the only way around it. With one hand he turned on the warm water, while the other latched around his shaft. For a moment, he indulged in his desires. He closed his eyes letting the images of her luscious pink lips and her vibrant green eyes rush to the forefront of his mind. He knew he shouldn't, but he wasn't hurting anyone as long as he kept it just for himself. As long as it stayed his little secret.

The water flowed down his body, down to his penis. It was warm, soothing. His hand moved up and down, accelerating the pace as his imagination turned wilder. She was licking him, tickling his neck, caressing his torso. The hand stroking him wasn't his, but hers. He tried to overlook the unmistakable difference, imagining what it would be like if it really was her gentle fingers squeezing him softly. It was building up. She was calling his name.

"Naruto..."

 _Yeah, like that... heh?_ It really was her.

"Naruto, are you ok?" Her voice sounded worried.

"I – I'm fine!" He quickly replied, suppressing a grunt as his pleasure was close to exploding.

"Oh – I was afraid, you might have fainted again." She sheepishly told him. Naruto was more the type to take quick showers, him taking that long alarmed her.

That was it and he bit his fist to not let a moan escape from his throat. He felt his cock swell dangerously, palpitating with the rush of sperm filling it. It jerked with a pulse, generously forcing out a spurt of semen on the wall in front of him. His head spun from the climax, and Naruto mechanically added a few more strokes, letting the gooey white liquid slide on his hand. His heart was beating fast, and his breathing was labored. He was grateful that she didn't try to talk to him more, as he would have been unable to form any coherent words. His left hand landed flat on the wall as support for the time it took to regain his senses. He was feeling lighter, but incredibly unsatisfied. His tired eyes glanced at the vestiges of his act on the wall, and it made him feel culpable. Out of all the girls in Konoha, he had to think of his best friend's girlfriend to do his deed. He frowned, ashamed, and grabbed the shower head to erase all traces of sperm around and off of himself.

Once clean, Naruto didn't waste any more time so as not to let her concern herself even more with his case. He hastily dried himself with a towel, and then fastened it around his waist to leave the bathroom. She was standing a few feet away in the corridor to give him some privacy, her cheeks were pink, visibly embarrassed to have to be there.

"I stayed around in case you didn't feel well." Sakura told him with a small voice, averting her gaze to the floor.

The sight of him all wet, with just a towel around his waist and his face flushed red from the undoubtedly hot shower he took, made her knees weak. His hair was short, like the last time they made love in the river, a droplet of water fell from it along his nose, his lips, his chin, and onto his chest... She couldn't continue to ogle at him. She could already feel her face heating up, and inner-Sakura turning berserk in her mind.

"Hahaha – Sorry. I'm ok. I just wanted to get rid of – of the fallen hair." Naruto lied lamely. He knew he couldn't even convince a kid with the way he said it, but she didn't show any sign of doubt and just nodded.

"So – hmm – I'm going to my room. If you need me, or if you feel the slightest bit unwell, wake me up." She absentmindedly told him, prey to her own turmoil, her eyes glued to the ground and her face gradually turning more red, the fiery color spreading from her cheeks to the tips of her ears .

There was this heavy atmosphere floating around, and for a couple of seconds, neither of them dared to move. Then suddenly, Sakura grabbed her bag and disappeared into her room with a quick "Good night" as she closed the door. Naruto sighed, walking to his room as well. It had been awkward to face her when a few minutes ago he was pleasuring himself thinking of her. He was a terrible friend, and promised to himself to find someone else to like. He couldn't continue like that - He couldn't stay drawn to Sakura, she was prohibited territory.

 **Good news, I might be able to publish faster. But, let's make the rule easy:**

 **IF YOU GIVE ME SILENCE, I WILL GIVE YOU SILENCE**

 **Author note:**

I am a selfish bastard to ask for review, an unworthy author. Good riddance someone even told me. Possible… But who are you to judge me?

After all the harsh messages I received, I am wondering just one thing: What type of Human are you?

I can't even figure out why someone would want to hurt purposely someone else.

It's not because we don't see each other that we stop to be human and to have feelings. We are more than just a screen. We are more than machine. You should never treat a Human in an other way than with humanity, kindness and love.

For those who think that I have a **number** of reviews sufficient. Don't belittle yourself! I never considered you a number. You are Human! People I like to connect with. People I want to share with. I look at your words and remember everyone of you. I always look forward to see a familiar name. I treasure you, who you kindly support me, connect with me.

For those who don't write: If you don't write to me, I can't know if you like my stories. I can't know if my efforts are worth it. _I can't know except if you tell me._

How could I know if you still follow my work if you don't tell me? How could I know that you continue to read my previous stories? On my side, I can only see silence, and it lead me to doubt, anxiety and loneliness.

I have no telepathic ability, no sixth sense or whatsoever. I am sorry to be an writer who need support. I am sorry to be a writer who care about what my readers think. I am sorry to not write just for myself.


	20. Chapter 20

_**THANKS EKATARINA016 AND GINA TSUKIKO FOR BETA READING THE CHAPTER**_

 _Guest: update will be every week from now except if my reader stop reviewing. Thank you for your support_

 _2000: It is a slow paced story indeed. It would be no point to just rush thing and end stuff with "and they lived happily ever after". Thank you for being here_

 _LolitaFernandes: muito obrigado! me faze muito feliz! obrigado! obrigado!_

 _guest: the update should be faster from now on. thank you for your support_

 _guest: Thank you very much for your support! I hope you will continue to like the story_

 _NSFox: They will dance, they will cry, they will laugh... a little of everything. (but don't worry, they will end up fucking ;p )Thank you very much for being here._

 _Rage: from chapter 1 to 7, Naruto and Sakura confessed their love. After their was the fort and the incident until chapter 10 Naruto is in a coma, and then begin his slow recovery. There was many events in between but they might not be your main interest. But believe it or not, nearly every details I've put had been for a reason. Some won't show because I butchered the story to finish it faster. But in my original plan, every detail count. Thank you for still following the story even if it irritate you somehow. I appreciate your comment and understand your frustration._

 _Guest: I wanna quit indeed, because I don't like to beg for review, because I want an interaction with people. And which statement is aggressive in your point of view? the fact that I stay that my reader are important to me? That they are no number? or that I want to know their opinion of my work? Or maybe is it my answer to silence? (I personally found it only fair). About the story, I am sorry if it is not going fast enough in your taste. Thank you for sharing your opinion with me._

 _Guest: I don't think I will update anytime soon my other stories. I don't want to put myself again in the anguish of writing without having return. I will take a break or maybe completely stop writing. Thank you for your support. It is important to me._

 _put-it-in-your-butt: Thanks_

 _Carlos Nicaragu: Thank you. I hope you will continue to like it._

 _Naru285: Thank you! Sometime little things can bring great reactions. I am glad that you liked it._

 _Aewina-chwan: MERCI! J'aime trop tes commentaires. Ils sont vraiment en or! MERCI! (J'écris vraiment pour des gens comme toi)_

 _eight heroes: Thanks you very much! Knowing that you are still here and you like it is very important to me. Thank you to have make the effort to write those few words. I love them from the bottom of my heart! Thank you_

 _sinedd662: Lust will evolve to love. Because he just didn't like her only for her body. But be sure, there will be something at some point ;) Thank you for being here!_

 _maxslayer10: Let them suffer a bit more. let make it insufferable. The memories will return but not always in the right order. Thank you for your constant support!_

 _Hatu31: Thank you very much, I appreciate your effort to give me a comment!. It is important for me to know if my (long and hard) work is worth my efforts. I hope you will continue to like the story until the end._

 _Guest: 439 reviews and 365 days of hard work, sleeping with my computer on my pillow, dead from exhaustion... I guess I would have ditch the job earlier if those who reviewed from the beginning weren't here. Thank you to have been part today of the support and to reward my effort with your review. Thank you very much, I truly appreciate._

 _Donthedarkdragon26: Yeah this story is all that, frustrating and difficult, but there is something behind it. This slow burning. This slow recovery. How everything will unfold at the end. He will remember stuff, but it won't be always easy. Thank you for your generous and kind words! I am truly touched from the bottom of my heart! Thank you for being here._

 _Danny Ketchum: Yeah Sasuke and Naruto have a brotherly bond, very very strong on Sasuke part as Naruto is his only friend and his last family. For my English I did work hard on it, but I still have to thanks a lot my beta reader to make it better for you guys to read it. Thank you for being here_

 _KellytheKid:you found it embarrassing? wait to see what's happen to Sakura. Thank you for your support!_

 _HITMAN0569: Wait and see... It is a thing to want to find someone else, it is another to manage to get your eyes away from the one you love. XD Thank you for your support._

 _Kuroshirokun4869:It will drag a bit longer... I like Naruto messy hair, but adult Naruto have his hair short. That's why I always search a small story to justify him cutting his hair. How I fell in love, it was Tsunade. Dangerous infiltration mission, It was Kakashi. And here it is because he want Sakura to touch his hair. Thank you for being here._

 _Nico Monkey D Robin: Naruto will get more memories soon, but not all. Thank you for being here._

 _Touken: Just be here. If you are here and the other do the same, there will be no problem. Don't worry. I will always express my distress before doing something drastic. If people give me a hand I will keep afloat. If people let me drown... Oups... So just be kind and just be here, it is more than enough. Thank you for being here._

 _THE 7TH DEMON OF RAZGRIZ: Thank you for your support!_

 _Skillet: You will see the love bird in the future... "near" is a relative concept. Sakura will kick some ass too. Thank you for your support and I am happy that you and your friend like it. I hope I won't disappoint you._

 _tiny tanaka: Ino is not a danger for Sakura. She is actually teasing and plotting to help her. Naruto can't really express himself as he think that Sakura is pregnant from his brother Sasuke. I am so happy to have you enjoy this fic. I hope you will continue to like it. Courage on your work! Take care. Thank you for your support!_

 _Draco378: Thank you for your support! Our lovebird will have to face some trouble before getting back together._

 _Guest 007: I am happy that you like it. Thank you to be back with me!_

 _beastedon: Thank you to offer me your first review. I am deeply touched from the bottom of my heart. I hope you will continue to like it!_

 _joey91731: Thank you for your support. Naruto and Sakura will have to struggle more before being together._

 _katus293: He will figure out other things... and his memories... I don't know if they will help much. *devil smirk* Thank you for being here._

 _alphadark19: Thank you for your patience! I hope you will like it!_

 _BlindSaya: Thank you for your support. There will be other Ino intervention and more and more Narusak moments._

 _animexpercy: Thank you for your support. I hope that you will continue to like the story. The problem with only follower and favourite is you don't know when the people stop to read it (you can like a story for the first 7 chapter and hate it after and stop) That is why I care mostly for those who review because 1/ they give me courage 2/ I feel like I share something with people (and I am not just doing it for myself)_

 _Narusakufanficfan1: What I wanted to show is that Naruto still have many of his old reaction and they give a glimpse on why he was doing things. for exemple he ran to the bathroom, Sakura noticed it did the same before, and now we know why hehe. Thank you for your support_

 _Naru 285: Thank you for being here. Next chapter in a week ;)_

 _RSFan: grazie mille ;) I hope you will like the chapter._

 _WindyCitySlayer1:Thank you for your support_

 _Greg069: Thank you. I hope you will continue to like it._

 _ **Chapter 19: Fight or Flight**_

After a few minutes standing immobile against the door in an inner battle with herself to not swoop on her amnesiac boyfriend and screw him senselessly, Sakura walked towards her bed to drop her bag on it. She was a mess, a complete mess, and it felt harder with each passing day. With a resigned sigh, she unzipped the main zipper and immediately frowned at the contents.

' _Really?'_

Why did she even trust Ino to just make it a normal bag? It was a joke; it couldn't be anything else. Pinching it by the strap, the pinkette pulled out a nightmare – _Oops, a nightdress!_ – carefully holding it with her fingertips as if the thing would bite her. It was a fancy, frilly, lacy, black and pink sleepwear that she had received for her twentieth birthday as gift from Ino-Pig for the sole purpose of humiliating her and her lack of a love life. The birthday note – _Useful gift to help you find a man, Forehead –_ was still attached to the other strap as proof that she never ever wore it.

Sakura threw the garment to the side. As if she could even call that a garment! She continued to dig through the bag in search of a more decent outfit.

What she found was even worse than her first discovery. She was sure that these things – _unspeakable things_ – weren't even hers in the first place. She observed an item, horrified: a ridiculously small semi-transparent red triangle of material, overhung with a clump of fluffy red fur as a borderline at the waist and a single string in the back.

' _What the hell?! Does anyone really wear this kind of thing?!'_

The t-thong, choking on the name even just thinking of it, was patently new, its tag attached to the side. _'Sexy & Dreams,' _Sakura read the name before burying it deep into the farthest corner of the bag. Her face was aflame. There was a limit to humor, and the pinkette, outraged, mumbled some choice curse words while fumbling through the rest of the luggage. She couldn't believe that her friend dared to fill her bag with items coming from a sex shop. She gasped, having arrived at the end of it. The _thing_ wasn't an exception, there was not a single piece of respectable underwear in the whole bag. At this point it wasn't a joke anymore, but a punishment. What was she supposed to wear?

She looked, appalled, at the series of wicked lingerie, and gulping with difficulty, took the least vulgar one. She didn't have much choice for tonight, and she pinched her lips in a thin line, watching the intimate apparel with apprehension. It was either that, being butt naked, though it wouldn't make such a difference with the lack of material on the _thing_ , or staying with her dirty one.

 _'Kami! It's so humiliating! I'm gonna kill Ino!'_

She began to undress, reassuring herself that it was just for one night only. Tomorrow, she would stop at her house to do her own packing.

 _'Just one night,'_ she repeated to herself, passing on the supposed underwear. ' _Nobody will ever know.'_ She added sliding the pink satin and black lace nightwear over her head.

It was tight in the chest area. Ino was right, her breasts had grown these last few weeks. Her belly was still flat, but her body was already beginning to change. She adjusted the plunging neckline to be more comfortable and looked at herself in the mirror, curving her back and bulging her stomach with air to simulate an expanding abdomen. Her breasts, round and full, were generously overflowing from the low cut, too small for her actual size, top and drawing a cleavage she had always envied on other girls. It was one of the good points of her chest swelling up, as this accelerated growth was accompanied with an extreme sensitivity of the flesh.

Her gaze then darted downward, imagining the life inside her. _Their_ baby. She wondered how long it would take before she would have to leave to not be found out. It would be two to three months more until the signs begin to really show. She would stay until it become inevitable, hoping Naruto recovered before that time came.

XXXXXXXXX

In the life of a pregnant woman, there were different stages common to all and there would be some symptoms or discomforts which were not standard. It always varied from case to case, as she had explained in the past to her patients when they complained over the ailments following the change of their bodies. Sakura naively thought herself to be part of the lucky ones, those who suffered very little of morning nausea and other disorders; her most noticeable attributes being the dramatic swing of moods and the incredible development of her sense of smell. However, this benevolent privilege didn't stay for long, proof that life and the universe had joined forces together to make her life a living hell.

A violent churn of her stomach abruptly woke her up in the morning, making her sit straight up in the bed with a jolt. Her mishaps didn't stop there, as the very next second, she fought a nauseating wave not to barf on the spot onto the bedcover. It amassed upwards and nearly outwards, only blocked by the barrier of her lips, making her cheeks puff up like a greedy squirrel. Her mouth full of unwelcoming, distasteful vomit, she just ran as fast as she could to the nearest bathroom to avoid swallowing it back. A few more retches followed until her stomach was completely empty, the angry purge ending with a stream of saliva mixed with bile.

The young woman collapsed to the tile floor, exhausted even before the beginning of the day. The unfairness of the world seemed to have worn her out with evil efficiency. Wearily, she looked down toward her chest to see if she had dirtied herself with the foul substance and nearly shrieked in horror at the sight of her pajamas,or more appropriately, the 'indecorous nightwear'. She had completely forgotten about it, overlooking it in the midst of drowsiness. All was not lost, however. It was morning, possibly quite early; she could still go back as sneakily as she came in, the secret of her disgrace following her to the grave.

Gathering herself up, Sakura rinsed her mouth and her face, then cringed, feeling miserable at seeing her pallid skin in the mirror. No wonder Naruto wasn't interested in her; she looked like the living dead! Sakura pinched and tapped her cheeks to bring some color to her ashen appearance – ' _Not much, but still better!' –_ then fumbled through her little toiletry bag. She grabbed her toothbrush, grateful that at least Ino had properly packed her hygiene supplies, and generously applied a fair amount of toothpaste. She couldn't imagine staying one minute longer with the disgusting taste of vomit in her mouth without risking throwing up again.

Spitting out the toothpaste in the sink she relished in the freshness brought by menthol. _'What a marvelous invention!'_ Happiness could really be found in little things; people never realized how important toothpaste could be until the moment they really need it. Finishing with a satisfactory sigh the pink-haired woman walked to the door and carefully cracked it open, her body hidden behind the wooden panel, to check if the corridor was empty. Her eyes darted to each side, right, left, and even the stairs. The passage clear, Sakura held her breath and ran in direction of her room. Her steps were light and fast, she could already see the knob of her door. She was almost there when a sound attracted her attention and Naruto's door opened.

' _Damn!'_ When she said she was the victim of an intergalactic conspiracy, she wasn't exaggerating.

"Good morning, Sakura." Naruto greeted her with a yawn, his eyes still sleepy.

She was petrified, her heart paralyzed, and still not breathing. If she continued, she might faint from lack of air. But it was too much to think, too much to fight her need to punch and run, than to actually do something useful.

The first second, Naruto took in her sexy appearance, and his eyes flashed wide-open, all sleep gone.

The next second, his blue eyes scanned her from head to toe, his jaw hanging open.

The third second, he slammed the door shut.

It was a flop, a plop, a complete disaster! Never in her life had Naruto so openly fended her off. A part of her wanted to smash the door with a kick and shake the life out of him for daring to reject her so drastically, while the other part wanted to cry and eat a whole bowl of ramen.

 _Ramen, not ice-cream? Where is that coming from?_

She ground her teeth, keeping her temper in check to not kill her amnesiac boyfriend. It wouldn't be good to inflict any more damage to his overly empty head. Ramen won out over killing, and with her pride crushed to dust, Sakura entered her room to change so the horrible day could start. Ino had succeeded in her mission: she was humiliated.

Naruto was blocking his door with his back as if his life depended on it, his nose dripping blood on his bare chest. He pinched himself to wake up in case he was in a wet dream.

' _Sakura – Oh, Kami! Sakura was – was dangerously sexy_.'

It couldn't be a dream. He couldn't create such a perfect sight. Her, like that, in that sexy outfit. He had never suspected her to be the type to wear that kind of clothing at night. She was much kinkier than what he imagined, and the lingerie hugged her body in all the right places – so short – and so open – and...

He looked at his hands, mimicking squeezing the mound of her breasts. The perfect size. The perfect roundness – in black lace. Some more blood gushed out at the lubricious thoughts invading his mind. She wasn't helping much, walking around in that provocative outfit. How was he supposed to be a good friend when he wanted nothing more than to pin her to the wall and make love until she screamed his name in passion? She was too hot! He could see himself, her flush against him, sliding his hands down her thighs and lifting them up to rest on his hips. He would press into her gently, oscillating like a dancing snake, rubbing his length against her core. He would forget everything, even his own name, savagely kissing her and making her his.

A growl escaped his lips as he glanced south, he was hard again. But what could he do against those slender and toned legs of hers. Her luscious breasts that could completely fit in his hands without being frustrated at losing even one bit of it, or her unbearably attractive lips ready to be kissed – Lust! She was making him lose himself in lust. Why did his past self let this girl fall for another guy? Why didn't he try to be more than just friend to her? What a waste! What a criminal waste!

XXXXXXXX

Sakura sighed, dispirited, walking down the streets of Naruto's calm neighborhood with the blond man at her side. He insisted on walking, wanting to see the village from within instead of just using the rooftops, and she agreed. She couldn't refuse him anything anyway. After all, he was less disoriented than he was his first day out of the hospital, and it was understandable for him to want to explore more.

She glanced at him from the corner of her eyes, and from an outsider's perspective, everything seemed normal. Naruto's steps were nonchalant, with his hands in his pocket and his eyes wandering around casually as if to memorize the route home. Even if he sometimes looked like a perfect stranger and she couldn't be sure that she really knew him anymore, she was still awfully conscious of the floating awkwardness around them since that morning. It had been hard to miss with Naruto obviously doing everything he could to not look at her for more than three consecutive seconds.

It was disturbing. They had never been so awkward before, and she blamed the indecent nightwear she surprised him with. Naruto must have found her unbefitting, or – Kami forbid – disgusting. It reminded her that Naruto had once told her that he found his mentor's behavior reprehensible and criticized his choice of going to prostitutes when they went travelling with the famous Sannin as kids. Maybe he thought of her as one too in that cheap whore outfit, Sakura thought. It was so embarrassing and it was all because of Ino's treachery. Her knuckles turned white with the strength she tightened her fist with, her anger flaring. If she got her hands on that girl, she swore the blond woman would have a taste of her temper and a reason to wear a Henge...

Naruto stopped in his tracks in front of a mask shop, his eyes drawn to a fox mask. Unconsciously, his hand came down, covering his midsection at the sight of the souvenir, reminded of his encounter with the beast. It must've sounded surreal, but he indeed had a monster sealed within him. Strangely, he was not frightened by the fox and actually wanted to know more about the story behind it. His reverie ceased when the shopkeeper came out of the back room of the shop.

The older man was merrily whistling, carrying a box of Orochimaru's new products to put ondisplay, the rogue snake ninja's effigy being one big selling hit this season. He rested his burden on the counter and then his face lit up with a smile, recognizing the two war heroes in front of his display. Happy to see their savior back in shape and walking around, the man amiably waved at them from behind his box and called for them to visit.

With a polite smile plastered on her face Sakura refused the kind offer, excusing them for being busy right now and promising to pass by soon. Naruto imitated her, hesitantly waving back at the man, and then rubbed the back of his neck in uneasiness. He tentatively smiled, saying goodbye to the man, but his smile hardly reached his eyes. It was so foreign to imagine that they all knew him when he had no recollection of them.

The blond man followed his caretaker through the maze of streets. None of the places matched the memories he got back: the houses were different, the roads too. It was like he was in a complete different village. Many passerby greeted them, some kids came running to them while joyously chirping his name, and Sakura artfully shortened each encounter to the strict minimum, conducting the conversations to not betray the fact that Naruto was amnesiac. They arrived in front of a two-story house, simple, clean, and quite recent like the rest of the neighborhood. Sakura presented it as her house and pointed to the right window on the first floor.

"This is my room. Generally, you visit by jumping directly through the window, but let's walk in normally for now."

"Shouldn't I wait for you outside... in case your parents don't like me?" Naruto was hesitant to enter with her, maybe her parents were some of those who ostracized him.

"No! Don't say such nonsense! My parents are a little old fashioned, but they adore you! You come through the window because it's an old habit of yours; you visit _all_ your friends through their windows. You're always welcome otherwise, and you have dinner with us every now and then." Sakura saw the look of doubt of the blond. "Really, don't worry! You're the only person who laughs at my father's lame jokes and my mom nearly worships you." She pulled on his elbow, dragging him inside. "We won't be long, and you might not even see them, they're at work." She told him to convince him, taking off her shoes. She couldn't let him stay alone in the street anyway.

"Sakura? Is that you?" A voice came from the living room, and Sakura sighed. What was her mom doing here? It really was not her lucky day.

"Yeah, Mom!" Sakura yelled loud enough to be heard and grabbed Naruto's hand. The contact of his warm palm made her heart tingle but she didn't let it distract her. They needed to flee before they were discovered. "Let's go to my room." She whispered to him in a conspiratorial tone.

"Weren't you supposed to be at your friend's place for few days?" A Venetian-blond woman said, popping her head around the corridor.

Naruto saw her gasp as she spotted him, he felt Sakura flinch for a brief second, and it all went too fast. Before he realized it, he was engulfed in a bone-crushing hug by the older Haruno. "Oh, Naruto-kun! You're here too! Thank you! Thank you so much!" Sakura's mother exclaimed, tears invading her eyes.

Naruto blushed at the display of affection, lost for what to do or what to say. Should he be faking knowing her like the others, or tell her that he had no clue about what he did to deserve her thanks? At least Sakura was right, her mother seemed to like him.

"Mom! Let him breathe! He's turning red." Sakura scolded, pulling her mother away.

"Let me thank him properly, will you? I bet you didn't say a word of thanks like usual, ingrate!" Mebuki bit back, escaping her daughter's grasp, and Sakura shamefully lowered her eyes. _'It was true. Again, I didn't tell him how grateful I was,'_ the pinkette thought guiltily. "Having an only child was a big mistake; Your father has really spoiled you rotten." The older Haruno grumbled to her daughter before turning, all smiles, to their guest.

"Come in! Come in, Naruto-kun! I hope my daughter wasn't too mean to you..." The Venetian-blond woman said, taking Naruto's hand and pulling him toward the living room.

"Mom!" Sakura cried out in complaint for being criticized so openly in front of her amnesiac boyfriend. This Naruto didn't know all her bad traits and she didn't need anyone to expose her unnecessarily. The pinkette saw his panicked look about what he should do and she latched onto his arm. "He's coming with me. I have to stay with him at all times." Sakura declared.

"I know he's been injured and all but he's perfectly safe with me." Her mother challenged, not releasing her grip. "Let me receive our guest as I should. Go and do your stuff. Shoo, shoo!" She made a sign with her hand to chase away her ill-mannered daughter.

Green met green, defiance clear in her mother's eyes. Sakura closed her eyes, pinching the bridge of her nose, and sighed in defeat. _'The apple doesn't fall far from the tree_. _'_ Her mom was just as stubborn as she was.

"Mom, Naruto is amnesiac." Sakura confessed in a breath, saying it out loud screwing in the open wound of his diagnosis. She had kept her parents out of the secret until now, probably because she was so aware to be at fault for it. But there was no point in hiding it anymore.

The older Haruno looked straight into blue eyes, surprise stretching over her face. Naruto tentatively smiled in a silent admission of the truth.

"Why didn't you tell me sooner?" She asked her daughter, her heart tightening in her chest. Naruto had been hurt because of her Sakura, but she thought he was doing fine as they released him from the hospital.

"It's a secret. You shouldn't tell it to anyone." Sakura insisted, serious. It was a matter of security for Naruto.

Mebuki's stare returned to the man in front of her, and gently caressed his cheek with her hand in a maternal way. She could see he was confused and she felt sorry for the boy.

"My name is Mebuki, Mebuki Haruno. I'm Sakura's mom." She introduced herself, and her throat tightened with sorrow at the end of her sentence. It could have been her Sakura in his place, or worse, if he hadn't saved her daughter once again. Her hand slid along his cheek, abandoning his face, and she bowed deeply to him. "Thank you, Naruto-kun! I don't know how I could repay you for saving my daughter!" She said, tears leaving her eyes and falling to her feet.

Hastily, Naruto straightened her, holding her shoulders. "Don't! Don't bow! Sakura is helping me a lot. You don't have to thank me for anything! Whatever I did, consider it as repaid."

Mebuki dried her tears with the back of her hands then looked at the young man, her eyes still glossy, and hugged him firmly. "You're really a good boy!" She patted his back a few times and grabbed his hand again. "Come with me! Do you want to eat something or have a drink? I have some sweets ready..." She kindly offered.

Naruto glanced at Sakura, searching for confirmation. "I won't be long, Naruto. Just relax and make yourself at home." The pinkette invited him. Every time she had to announce his condition to someone it was a painful reminder of her heavy culpability; it was all her fault.

As she promised, Sakura came back a few minutes after, just time enough for her to throw together a bag with some more decent clothes and things that she could call underwear without shame. She found Naruto sitting on the sofa with a plate of dango on the small table in front of him, an open photo album on his laps, and her mother at his side, commenting on each and every single picture.

This day was definitely a nightmare.

"Here is when she took her first step, and here... Oh! Isn't she cute in her bath?" Sakura heard her mother say.

"Mom! Close that! What do you think you're doing?!" The pinkette shouted.

"Keep your voice down! Didn't I teach you some good manners? We have a guest!" Her mother barked back. "Isn't it obvious what I'm doing? I'm helping Naruto-kun to remember his past!"

Sakura approached the sofa and looked at the glossy picture of her, naked in the bath, smiling at the camera, and happily holding a yellow plastic duck above the water when she was one or two years old. She was mortified – _worse day ever!_

"He won't remember me at that age! We only met at school!" Sakura retorted huffily, trying to grab the offending album displaying her butt every two pictures.

"Actually, I saw you in my memories... at that age." Naruto pointed at a photograph in the lower corner of the second page.

She was... three years old? The picture was taken on the playground, her sitting on a swing. Her little feet not being able to touch the floor were cutely tucked up as she was pushed far into the seat to not fall, and her father was smiling, crouching at her side.

"You saw me? You remembered me?" Came the dumbfounded question of the pinkette. "What? How?"

Naruto scratched his cheek, trying to recollect his experience. He didn't remember much, but she was in the background of one of his memories. Her father was standing in front of her and she was shyly hiding behind the man's legs when a ruckus started as soon as a he entered the playground, other parents coming to push him away, telling him to not come close to their kids.

"Not much, I just recognized you here." Naruto voluntarily avoided the truth, his eyes stuck on her happy memories. _Some things are better left unsaid_. "But you were really cute as a baby, and I totally love your charming forehead." The young jinchuuriki added in all honesty with a smile, showing off another picture of her in the bath with her pink hair plastered backward by the water, enhancing her huge forehead.

Sakura blushed beet red at his comment. She was so in love with her man. He was the only idiot on earth to be able to love her horrible forehead. "If it helps you, I guess we can stay a couple of minutes more..." The pinkette surrendered, sitting at his other side to be sure that nothing too humiliating could come up from this unexpected session of album viewing.

XXXXXXXXXX

In the end they stayed another full hour, Sakura's mother refusing to let them go so easily, but it was worth it because Sakura got to hear Naruto's laughter at the few embarrassing stories her mother revealed and it seemed to have returned him to a more normal behavior toward her. They were almost like before, walking side by side in good companionship toward the lake for his next training. Naruto had his arms up and his hands resting behind his head, looking content, so she was too.

The wind blew, shaking the foliage of the trees surrounding them in a discreet rustling. Some of the green leaves fell and danced a mystical waltz, carried from one side to the other while inevitably descending toward the ground. The small whistling through the branches filled the silence with unsaid words. Naruto glanced up at the sun piercing through the dense green ceiling and at the shiny rays hitting the improvised dancers that gave them a magical effect. A smile graced his face, amused, as one of the leaves landed on Sakura's pink hair. It was extremely cute how the leaf adorned the pink strands, making him think of a blooming cherry tree. He instinctively extended his hand, picking up the intruder by the stem, and then fell into the spell of her hypnotizing green eyes as she looked up at him, a gentle smile on her lips.

He gasped, like tasting the air for the first time. The shade of green of her irises resembled some precious jewel, but they were much more. Pretty wasn't enough to describe them. They were a vibrant, incomparable, mesmerizing mirror of an untamed soul. The breeze rushed again, whirling his melody through the foliage, the sound of the forest accompanying it like a symphonic orchestra. He blinked, quitting the eerie world of her gaze as she called his name, twice. Suddenly, he realized he had frozen to the spot, paralyzed, lost in a form of trance upon his vision.

She was studying him, her adorable brows furrowed with worry. "Are you OK, Naruto? Are you dizzy or something?"

"No. I was... It was nothing." He dismissed quickly, picking up his pace to walk toward the clearing, shushing his heart and its deafening drumming.

"You're sure? We can cancel the training. You don't have to do it if you're unwell." Sakura insisted, joining his side.

"I'm fine, I just spaced out. The training will be fun, and we're already there anyway." Naruto pointed towards the lake. "It will be better than getting bored at home." He laughed clumsily, hoping that she would buy his excuse.

"You're sure?"

"I swear!" He affirmed, and Sakura frowned, wary of Naruto's bad habit of pushing himself too much, maybe it was second nature to him. The blond walked to the bank of the lake to end the discussion and she dropped her bag under the shadow of a tree before joining him.

"So what am I going to learn?" The blond asked, eager to get started.

"I'll teach you how to walk on water today. It's another exercise for chakra control, a little more complicated than the tree climbing. As the surface of the water keeps changing, so too should the flow of chakra at your feet ."

Naruto nodded, ready for any action which could distract him from his prohibited fascination.

Then Sakura started demonstrating each action, from the seal to concentrate the chakra to explaining how the chakra flow in the body worked with some medical jargon lost in between. He listened to her, forcing himself to stay focused. Sakura was a great teacher, full of knowledge, and he nodded a few times in appreciation of her skills.

She was so amazing, so smart, and Naruto ended up completely transfixed by her moving lips in no time, listening to her say words he had never heard of. It was hard to concentrate as his eyes seemed to have decided to betray all his good resolutions, refusing to obey the 'no staring more than three seconds' rule he had established for his sanity. But it wasn't his fault, she was just that fantastic; every part of her where his gaze wandered was another twinge in his heart.

His attention came back as she finished her speech with a 'you should try'. He winced in guilt as he admitted to himself that he might have missed some of what she said. Not one to be put off by insignificant details, he walked forward. Naruto simply closed his eyes, tried to concentrate, and went on.

Lifting his left foot off the ground, the amnesiac shinobi placed it just above the water. His hands formed the seal to control his chakra and then touched the surface. The connection was perfect, and a smug smile stretched on his face. With a certain confidence he shifted his weight, ready to move, and a small wave disturbed the connection making his foot plunge into the translucent liquid. Fortunately for him, it was still rather swallow on this part of the lake.

Looking at his soaked sandal, he mumbled to himself. "Huh... I should maybe keep my clothes dry."

In slow motion, Sakura's amused smile disappeared as he walked back to the shore. Her eyes jolted wide open when he grabbed the edge of his shirt and began to lift it up, revealing his belly button. His skin was deliciously tanned, and a discrete trail of blond hair was mischievously leading to his pants. Her breath hitched in her throat as the material went up, displaying his chiseled abs, the strong and carved muscles of his abdomen inviting to be kissed. The show didn't stop there, and her heart missed a beat when the clothes uncovered his perfect hard chest. Her gaze unwillingly fixated on his perfectly defined small nipples, the desire to lick them nearly unbearable.

Passing her, Naruto wriggled around to get his head through the collar, making his muscles bend and flex under his golden skin in the process, and she restrained a low moan, her mind registering every detail of his divine body. If he was trying to be sexy, he had completely succeeded. At that point, Sakura was literally drooling, not missing a bit of the show he was putting on. After one last tug, the sun-kissed hair emerged from the garment and the blond kept walking, unsuspecting of her gaze. How on earth this man could be this dense to not sense her hungry eyes boring a hole on his back was a mystery. But somehow, Naruto was the one-track-mind type of person and he was currently too busy undoing the button of his pants to pay any attention to anything not directly threatening their safety.

Sakura swallowed thickly, her throat becoming suddenly dry as he lowered his pants revealing loose orange boxers and the perfect curve of his toned butt. It was too much; the pants fell to his ankles and she felt her face heat up, a shudder passing down her spine. She had told him – millions of times – that it was indecent at his age to parade around in his underwear. It was one thing at twelve years old to swim with his underpants, it was another thing ten years later with such an erotic body.

She was close to fainting as such a display shouldn't be allowed in public. Naruto was the epitome of the male Sexy Jutsu and Sakura bit her lower lip to restrain any disgraceful sounds from escaping; Inner-Sakura took the bigger hit to allow her to keep up appearances. It was already hard enough to function with his scent constantly taunting her nostrils, but if he was to be nearly naked she wasn't sure how to control herself anymore.

Oblivious of his effect on her, Naruto dropped his clothes on her bag and turned around, determination stretched on his face. "Yosh! Let's try again! You'll see! In no time I'll be in the center of the lake, dattebayo!" He proclaimed.

She didn't move, she didn't say a thing. Sakura just tried to look as normal as possible, a strained smile plastered on her face while the blond Adonis passed in front of her again. She tore her eyes off his underwear, looking everywhere else and not the subtle contour of his penis under the fabric. She was a pervert. He made her become a pervert.

' _Baka Naruto and his stupid delectable body!'_

She admonished herself to stay in control, forcing her inner self to be quiet. She was here to help and teach him, not to fantasize about him. After a couple minutes of working on her self-discipline, she finally managed to watch over his training.

His chakra control was still unsteady but his progress was, without a doubt, fast. Naruto, with his trademark character, was rushing too much to get to the point. He wanted to be the best immediately and was going too quickly to really listen to his chakra.

 _'Only Naruto could make 'orange' look sexy!'_ Inner-Sakura commented, contemplating his athletic figure. The pinkette shook her head one last time to chase away the remnant of her lubricious thoughts and joined the blond man on the lake as he made a few shaky steps in a row.

"Don't look at your feet." Sakura advised gently, lifting his chin up with one finger. Their gazes met and an irrepressible blush blossomed on her cheeks. She had forgotten how troubled his cerulean blue eyes could make her. She didn't know what to do with herself anymore, turning shy and so stupidly happy to just be near him.

The exercise wasn't easy as he had to adjust the flow of chakra to match the change of the surface each instant. Concentrating on his feet to not lamely sink into the water again, Naruto gasped, surprised by her gesture. The blonde man clearly hadn't expected her guidance, and even less to fall into her mesmerizing green irises. He and his good resolutions were doomed. She was too damn cute. He couldn't break his gaze, hooked unconsciously to the precious gem of her eyes. At least he wasn't looking at his feet anymore.

They were close, dangerously close for his sanity. Naruto could already feel his heart speeding up, beating in a wild and unbridled rhythm at their proximity. He felt her warm breath ghost over his skin, and he couldn't help but lose his mind. It wasn't just lust. It wasn't just how pretty she was. Not just her adorable silky pink hair. Not just her flawless porcelain skin. Not even her stunning jade eyes or her unbearably tantalizing lips. No, it wasn't a matter of just the physical. It was all of her; her gentleness embossed with beads of her fiery temper, her sensibility, her care, her intelligence, her smile – _God, her smile!_ Her smile was a beautiful spring after a long winter, a radiant sun erasing his darkness. He instinctively knew that if he was with her, he would never feel alone anymore.

Timidly her hand grabbed his, intertwining their fingers together. "Trust me..." Sakura shyly whispered, her voice barely mixing with the breeze as a delicate melody while she smoothly pulled him forward.

The contact, light, soft, entrancingly tender, left him quivering with emotions. He followed her blindly, relishing in the exquisite touch of her fingers. He would walk over mountains and oceans, he would cross a continent, he would continue until the end of the world, wherever, as long as it was with her. He didn't know if his feet moved or if he had been carried along with some intricate jutsu, but it was only when she stopped that he realized he was in the middle of the lake.

"You did it..." She cheered him on, her smile shining with pride for him. She had been so sure Naruto could do it naturally. It was a reflex for ninjas like them, even without their memories or any conscious effort, they were able to stand on water. It was just a matter of letting it flow and relaxing.

Her smile was so marvelous his whole body shivered. He was in a bubble, caught in a beautiful dream he didn't want to wake up from. He would learn how to fly if it would make her smile more. "Thank you, Sakura-chan." Naruto spontaneously murmured, too dazed to think.

The pinkette jolted like under an electric shock hearing the endearing way he called her. She felt shaken to the core, finally alive after a long, long nightmare. It wasn't just her name. It was the '-chan' associated with it, that and his candid, lovely, manner of saying it. She had never missed anything as much as that trivial suffix. It was futile and pointless, but it meant so much to her. It meant hope, a bond, the unique connection they shared. Unconsciously, she reduced the distance between them, grazing his skin to assert that it wasn't an illusion, and looked at him with so much expectation. Hoping beyond hope that he was back to himself, back to being her Naruto.

"Naruto..." She was overwhelmed with joy, tears threatening to fill her eyes again under the flood of emotions.

His heart lept, absurdly thrumming in his chest, throwing itself against the barrier as if to break free from its confinement and jump to her. She was an angel; enchanting, delicate as a cherry blossom dancing in the wind. He'd found heaven in the depth of her eyes and when her small hand grazed his chest almost hesitantly, he knew he was damned, sentenced to a lifelong punishment for ever having laid his eyes on the forbidden jewel of Eden. He loved her. It wasn't any petty infatuation, it wasn't puppy love for his doctor, or a simple crush that would fade with time. He loved her, it was just plain fact. Don't ask him how he knew, how it began, or why it grew. Don't ask him why from all the women in the world, his heart choose this one; the one he shouldn't love. He couldn't fight it. He couldn't comprehend it himself, as for why, with all his might, he could avoid admitting it. But his heart didn't lie and he couldn't continue to ignore it. It was too loud, too strong; a powerful mess of delirious pulsations.

He heard her call his name in the middle of the thunderous chaos of heart, and his senses came back, crashing down on him, falling from his high where he had lost himself. Returning to reality, he suddenly was conscious of his position, the slight tilting of his head and the perilous proximity of his lips – _on the verge of kissing her_. His eyes flashed wide open and panic seized him, making him take a step back. Naruto briefly glanced at his feet only to note the disturbance of the water at his spike of chakra – _his_ chakra – he remembered he was supposed to be controlling it and just this moment of realization made him lose his balance.

Naruto's warmth faded away, and the kiss never came. ' _Had it all been a delusion?'_ She wondered. Sakura fluttered her eyes open only to witness Naruto sinking into the lake and jerked forward, trying to catch him before he disappeared. Immediately, the possibility of Naruto not knowing how to swim anymore spurted into her mind in a succession of dreadful 'what if's. She didn't wait to try the alternative theory, and dove after him. He wasn't far, just a couple of strokes away. In a blink of an eye, her arms latched around his torso and he wriggled to break free. Drowning people frequently panicked and tossed around while being rescued, it was common knowledge, so she tightened her hold with some chakra, pressing him against her chest to keep him safe, and swam toward the surface.

Both of their heads emerged in a splash of water, droplets dripping from their hair and faces into their eyes, blurring their sight. Naruto writhed around, feeling his body react to her breasts flush against his torso, but she had an incredibly strong grip on him and he couldn't unlatch her hold without risking being too violent.

"Let go of me, please!" The blonde man pleaded in a desperate, unfruitful attempt to free himself.

Her arms loosened, wondering if she was choking him with her excessive strength. "Sorry! I was afraid you might drown." Sakura apologized, oblivious of his actual state of mind.

Naruto took the opportunity to push himself away from the temptation, forestalling the dangerous growth of his manhood. "I can swim... or I think I can." He affirmed, instinctively moving his arms and legs to keep afloat. "Yeah! I can, 'ttebayo!" He confirmed, increasing the separation between them.

The young woman was a little disappointed to see her amnesiac boyfriend swim away. She felt a pang in her heart at how he fiercely broke free to distance himself from her. It was one thing to fall hard from her false hope of having him back, it was another to get her heart torn to pieces by his evident dislike. Sakura bit her lip to distract herself from the pain roaring in her heart and took it upon herself to not let her emotions show in order to resume her teaching role.

"To come out of the water, you can increase the flow of chakra spurting out of your feet, or you can concentrate your chakra on your hands to make contact with the surface and raise yourself up." She said, demonstrating the second option.

Naruto stopped swimming away at the teaching tone of her voice. His attention caught on, he saw her emerge from the lake with her hand working as leverage. The water trickled along her arms and back and he secretly wished to be able to transform into water to glide over her skin like those droplets running down her ivory neck. His gaze wandered, famished, to her wet clothes, confronted with the eroticism of such a sight. The fabric was deliciously clinging to her body, enhancing each and every curve from the fine line of her refined spine to the gorgeous sinuous shape of her hourglass figure. His eyes stopped a bit longer in their exploration, noticing her lingerie; even if the material wasn't transparent, he could clearly distinguish the mark left by the strap of her bra and the clasp at her back, making him wonder if it was something as naughty as what she wore for sleeping.

The pinkette lifted herself more, bringing her knees to the surface and adopting an all-fours position before standing up. Naruto nearly sank, forgetting to keep afloat, too distracted to swim by the sight in front of him. The blood in his body rushed to two places simultaneously, invading his cheeks and his groin profusely, the second taking the bigger load. He couldn't be blamed for it when confronted by the sexiest butt on earth! It would have been immoral, sacrilege even, to not admire one of Kami's utmost masterpieces. The soaked fabric of her skirt perfectly hugged the divine roundness of her behind, and he watched the water run along the curves to slide down her thighs with devoted fascination. It was scandalous to be so erotic.

The blond dunked his head under water after a low feral growl escaped his throat when she changed position to be on all fours. It was unfortunate, and he was quite sure he had been too loud to not go unnoticed. Sakura turned her head to identify the origin of the sound, and called his name in concern at seeing him submerged. Naruto briefly pondered about his options, in particular the risk for his erection to be discovered if she tried to rescue him again. Not having much choice, he resurfaced, his face still fairly colored and his body prey to an extreme inner turmoil.

"You called?" He decided to play innocent.

She breathed out and finished standing up, her hand on her heart to calm her raging fear. "Yeah, I heard a sound and then I saw you go down, I thought you had passed out or something."

"Haha... that... It was not much, I... Haha... I had a cramp in my leg." He confusedly explained, laughing awkwardly to hide his embarrassment.

"I'll help you out." Sakura offered, walking towards him.

She was slightly bend forwards, her hand extended in a helping gesture, and his body grew hotter as his eyes left her face to instinctively check the front side with her puckering nipples. Another rush of blood invaded his nether region, imagining how sweet it would be to fondle them. The blush on his face darkened, overly conscious of his full hardness, as he met her ingenuous green eyes again. He couldn't, under any circumstance, come out now without being discovered. He needed to cool down first for his sex to recover a more normal size.

"The water feels great! I'm gonna swim for a bit, Sakura!" The blonde hastily said, paddling backwards to get some safe distance between them.

A pink eyebrow raised up in doubt. She wouldn't call the water great, as she didn't particularly like the nipping sensation of the cold. But Naruto had always loved swimming in frosty water, staying in there for hours until he nearly turned blue as soon as they had some time to relax. Once, she saw him dig a hole in ice to dive into a frozen lake during a break on a mission. He would really swim in anything: oceans, rivers, maybe even a pond the size of a puddle if he could fit his body in there.

"Well, I'm going to change, when you finish we can continue your training. I don't know how you do it, but I'm freezing." She straightened up to go back to shore, and stopped, blushing profusely. "Can you call me, Sakura-chan? You used to do it before…" She requested, suddenly shy.

The blonde flashed her a smile, "Sure, Sakura-chan!" He liked how her name rolled off his tongue, and sighed in relief to not have been found out once she turned around.

He didn't like the cold, actually, but it was a needed pain to tame the animal in his underwear if he ever wanted to get out of here. So he swam in circles, trying hard to reign in his arousal. His previous self must have been blind, an idiot, or both to have managed to not ravage his teammate. His noble intent was soon forgotten however, as his gaze turned toward the tree, irresistibly attracted by her slender figure. She was bent forward, fumbling through her bag in search of dry clothes, and he immersed his face, letting only his eyes above water to stifle the sound of his groan with the barrier of the liquid as her ass was in full view.

The pink haired woman grabbed an outfit and hid in some bushes to change. A pitiful concealing spot, in his opinion, as the foliage was pierced with empty spaces like the black lace she wore earlier that day. Naruto stayed stationary for a couple of minutes, the angle perfect from where he was to catch a glimpse of her changing form. Sakura struggled out of the sticking wet material, pulling the fabric above her head and offering her back to the intense perusal of a pair of hungry blue eyes. Some bubbles busted the surface of the calm lake at the level of his mouth, the unique betrayal of his sound of agony when she started working on her skirt. Shifting a little from her position, Naruto lost the angle and missed the best part of the show. He moved around, searching for more than a small patch of skin, then reprimanded himself for his action. He was supposed to cool down, not get himself more excited. He dunked his head in the water to avoid looking at her, and swam faster to distract his mind; burning in the coolness his excess of libido.

Finally fully dressed, Sakura returned to sit near the shore and watched her amnesiac boyfriend make an incredible number of circles in the lake. She chuckled to herself, even as an adult, Naruto was still so energetic. It was quite amazing the amount of stamina the blonde man had, and she was sure that if her boyfriend were to have a serious contest with Lee, he would certainly beat the taijutsu master.

Time passed for a good hour without Naruto wearing himself out and Sakura glanced at her watch with despair. It wasn't that she got bored, far from it; her man was such eye candy that she could untiringly look over him, but for the last ten minutes her stomach hadn't stopped to loudly rumbling to remind her that she had to feed another person inside her.

Holding her midsection as if to quiet the sound, Sakura snapped upright when she saw him swim in her direction. She didn't know if he came back hearing her belly's loud noise or if he finally got enough exercise to feel satisfied, nonetheless, she couldn't deny that she welcomed his return and the prospect of having a meal soon. Naruto stood when the water reached only past his knee and she completely forgot her cooking list at the sight of his body glistening in the sun. His arms went up, rubbing his hair to roughly dry it, the subtle flex and bunch of his biceps in the process, the tanned skin on his toned chest almost golden under the astral orbs, and...

She bit her lower lip to restrain a moan. She was beginning to really love the color orange; his underwear was clinging to him like a second skin and leaving very little to imagination.

Dripping from head to toe, Naruto stood a few feet away from her, still too preoccupied to notice her agitation. "So, what do we do now? Should I try again or do we pass to another exercise?" He asked her, tapping his ear to one side to chase the water out.

Hypnotized, Sakura walked up to him. Her Naruto was just too sexy and she couldn't hold back anymore. She looked at him with pure abandon, her hands coming up to touch his chest. The coolness of his skin contrasting so much with the fire scorching her blood made her shiver with anticipation. She didn't want anything more than him in that exact second. But her stomach had other plans for her.

A roaring rumble broke the electric atmosphere surrounding them and Naruto burst laughing. "You can't be clearer. Hahaha! I'm going to get dressed real quick and we can go for a bite to eat, 'ttebayo." Naruto told her with an uncomfortable grin, removing her hands from his chest.

He withdrew in a blink, eager to get away from the temptation she presented. His body was so sensitive that he could already feel the blood leaving his head to travel south. He shook his head to clear his mind, he really was a lost cause; he'd spent an hour just to cool down only to get all excited again as soon as she approached him to tell him they were going for lunch. He rapidly put on his pants first, to hide any betrayal of his body, the souvenir of her hands on him making him thin-skinned all over, and repeated _'You'll not touch your brother's wife!'_ to himself like a mantra.

 **THANKS TO REVIEW**

 **NEXT CHAPTER NEXT WEEK. IF YOU ARE HERE, I WILL BE HERE!**

 _Happy Valentine! I share with you this chapter with lot of love._


	21. Chapter 21

_**THANKS TO EKATARINA016 AND GINA TSUKIKO FOR BETA READING THE CHAPTER**_

 _Eight heroes:Thank you for your support. I wanted for NaruSaku to come back together naturally, as if it was an evidence that they were meant to be._

 _Naru285: You want the story to finish. I might disappoint you, but the story have 31 chapters, so you will have to be patient for the ending. But some memories will come back, but maybe not in the right order ;) Thanks to be here_

 _Nicky5535: I am so glad that you love it. I hope you will continue to like my work. Thank you for telling me that._

 _Merchant of Blue Death: Unfortunately I planned to make our heroes struggles a bit more. When I read my whole story in one go, for me it seems the pace is needed and right. But with you not knowing why I am doing things, you might find it unworthy and I can understand. But believe me, everything was for a purpose. In my opinion Sakura is a very caring person, that is why she is a medic to save the people dear to her. For Sakura's Mother, in my story Naruto is seen as the hero who saved the ninja world and she also know that Naruto saved her daughter. About the feeling of our heroes, if you follow the timing, it only been a couple of weeks since Naruto woke up from his coma. But they won't lose interest in each other. I have some other plan for them. Kurama will appear later in the story. I had to cut (butcher) the story to make it shorter, so many chapters and side story won't be developed. But Kurama will have his part to play in the story. Thank you for your review. I am always so curious to see how people perceive my work. I hope I won't bore you out to the point of making you quit reading it._

 _Maxslayer10: Naruto is not supposed to know she is pregnant. He have eardrop and have to deny that he did it, so it would be difficult for him to breatch the subject without being discover. For Sakura's lust, let her suffer a bit more. She had him wait for years, she can struggle at her turn. Thank you for being here! I hope you will continue to like it._

 _Aewina-chwan: Toi tu attends mon chapitre comme moi j'attend ton commentaire avec la meme excitation. Sinon concernant le chapitre, l'eau monte a ebullition doucement, jusqu'a que la vapeur explose sous pression… En effet concernant Sakura, c'est une petite punition, retour de karma, pour son indifference quand elle etait jeune. Ino est la meilleur amie de Sakura, c'est normale qu'elle complote pour elle. Et oui sinon je suis passe par tous les grands clichés pour torturer nos 2 heros. Ta reflexion a propos de kankuro est tout a fait jusifié, c'est sur cet episode que je me suis basé pour decrire comment il l'a percoit. Le truc avec Naruto qui reste nager, c'est le petit commentaire que Sakura place "Naruto aime nager, il pourrait nager dans une flaque si elle pouvait contenir son corps", c'est pour indiquer que meme par le passé il a du cacher les reactions de son corps en lui disant qu'il allait nager meme s'il doit faire un trou dans la glace… (petit clin d'oeil). Moi aussi je t'aime troppp! J'espere que le prochain te fera plaisir aussi._

 _Katus293: I am glad to create reaction in you while reading. I always hope to be able to make you feel something (love, laugh, sad… whatever) with them. Thank you for being here and I hope you will continue to like it._

 _Donthedarkdragon26: Naruto can't return his memories return… but I am glad to make you react to the chapter. What wasn't making sense in the chapter? Sakura will soon crack a little but not the way you imagine. Thank you for your support!_

 _Guest: Thank you_

 _Sinedd662: Why are you annoyed by Sasuke? Sasuke is quite a loyal person toward those he cares. When he was child he tried to save naruto at the risk of his life. And now Naruto is like a brother to him. In my opinion, Sasuke would do anything for his family, even destroy the whole world if it mean to save those he cares. Thank you for your support and I am really curious to understand your opinion._

 _Skillet: Thanks to you and your friend. I was finding it meaningful to have a chapter were Naruto realise that he love (and not only lust) Sakura on that day. I hope you will continue to like it._

 _Rsfan: Thank you for keeping your promise. I held mine too_ _. About Naruto asking his friend about their relationship, I think he is quite uncomfortable because he found out about Sakura's pregnancy by eardropping, so he was not suppose to know. And the best way to not be discovered, is to avoid the subject. Then to ask things to Sasuke, Sasuke is not the talkative type of person, so it's not like they have big talk. It is no that easy to know how you should act with a girl you like and you think date your best friend. So the whole is creating this mess (and yeah bad communication serve the purpose of drama, but I swear you can see it in you everyday life if you observe your friend or people around you)._

 _Dpmaragoni: Thank you for being here._

 _Phhsdj: misunderstanding always hurt people, mostly if they care. Thank you for your support!_

 _HITMAN0569: thank you for being here!_

 _YeagerMeister31: it will continue for a little while, but slowly it will shatter. It frustrating but you will see how it will be solved. Thank you for your support_

 _Touken: Thank you for being here. I am glad that you are still following it. There will be more and more moment between our heroes to come. Thank you!_

 _Azuma Kumiko: Thank you for telling me. I hope you will continue to like it and give me your thoughts about it. Thanks_

 _Guest0076:Thank you for being here. I hope you will like the next too._

 _Draco36: Thank you for your support! I hope you will continue to like the story!_

 _Tini tanaka: Don't cry! (keep your tears for later, you will need it *evil smirk*) I am so glad that you liked the chapter. I hope I won't disappoint you. Thank you for yor support!_

 _BlindSaya:The tension keep growing as much as their feeling for each other. Thank you for being here_

 _That Pageant Girl: I like to see what's inside and their feeling. I glad you like it too. And 'Sakura-chan' is like saying 'I love you'. She is the only one he call with a –chan proof of her special status in his heart. Thank you for your support!_

 _HeliosBlaze: It is so hard to get rid of small mistake, even with beta reader (english is not my first langage and they have a lot to do with my first draft). I am sorry to not be able to give a perfect work. But we truly try our hardest and it is deadly time consuming. Please, if you love the stories say so. If you re read them, take few second of your time to let a word at the chapter end to share with me what you like and what you dislike. If you like an author (whoever it is) let a word, it will avoid other author to give up on writing because they think they didn't manage to reach their purpose. Thank you to be here today with me. I hope you will continue to like my work._

 _Joey91731:'-chan' have such a deep meaning. And yeah, in the eyes of the one who love you, you are always beautiful eve if you find yourself ugly. If you need help or advice for your writing, feel free to contact me. Thank you for being here._

 _Narsakufanfanfic1:thank you very much! Saying Sakura-chan was like admitting he loved her._

 _Guest: Already with the description of their arousal, it can be considered M. But I understand what you mean and I assure you that there will be other Lemon chapter. Thank you for your support._

 _ **Chapter 20: Divine Punishment**_

Again and again, even though he came every day, the aseptic odor of the hospital corridor made his face cringe in disgust. He liked this smell the least and already wanted to leave this place as soon as possible. The jinchuuriki pinched his bandaged nose in a vain attempt to stop the scent from invading his nostrils, and Sakura gave him a quick look

"Does it still hurt?" She asked.

Naruto realized she was still worried about his small injury and he waved at her, embarrassed. "No, not at all! I told you it was nothing."

"You were bleeding quite a lot. At first I thought you'd broken your nose on those rocks." Sakura justified her concern.

The blond sheepishly laughed, avoiding her gaze. He couldn't tell her the reason behind the blood, could he? After all, his head-first fall from the terrace into the garden onto the rocks had happened after the gush of blood coming from his nose. But it wasn't his fault. He just hadn't been prepared to find her private apparel exposed on the clothes line when he went to put out his own wet underwear – and what a shock!

His eyes darted to the petite figure of the woman walking by his side. Sakura seemed like such a reserved and cute girl; he wouldn't have guessed that she wore such a type of underwear. The nightdress first and now that – a black lacy thong, _hellishly erotic..._

He was just a man, a man with needs and a clear infatuation for said girl. One could easily imagine his body's reaction when his eyes caught a glimpse of the black lace discreetly hanging at the extreme end of the rope behind her other wet clothes. He hadn't meant to be driven toward it, it had been more out of curiosity or instinct at first, and when he recognized what it was, it was already too late to stop the rush of blood. He'd hastily held his nose with his hand, running around in a mixture of frantic panic and excitation. In his weird way of dealing with his libido he had tripped over his feet, hitting the pole holding the rope, and fell head first taking a mess of wet clothes to the ground with him.

He really wasn't hurt, barely some scratches here and there, and he did feel guilty as the woman he liked leaned over him, her bright green eyes filled with worry. She had abandoned the kitchen with haste, her apron on and a spatula still in her hand after hearing the racket he had made out of himself. He stretched an embarrassed smile up at her as she helped him up. If she knew why he had ended up in this position she might not have been this kind to him, so he bit his lips after telling her he had lost his balance, obscuring the real reason behind his clumsiness.

His answer wasn't the smartest one as Sakura was always on edge concerning the possibility of him passing out ever since his little stunt in the public bathhouse and she fussed over him even more. It was bad, and some remorse began to chew on his consciousness. But he couldn't tell her the truth and part of him enjoyed being taken care of by her. What type of man wouldn't bask in the care of the women he likes? So he let her pull him into the nearest bathroom to clean his face, trying to assuage her worry with a small smile as she questioned him about his symptoms.

His smile and further answers didn't work. He must have lacked a convincing poker face as Sakura gave him a doubting glare, as if she knew he was hiding some details. She angrily huffed, applying some disinfectant on his scratches, and he winced at the biting sensations. Their gaze met, and it tore his soul out.

"Why don't you trust me? Tell me what's wrong... How can I help you if you don't tell me?" She demanded, pained, placing a band-aid on his nose.

A pause. Time itself was unsure of where to go. The jade eyes were staring at him, and the expression lying in the clear irises were sharper than a blade. Was it sorrow? Regret? Disappointment? Pain...?

Naruto was beginning to suffocate under his guilt, the weight of her words cutting through his skin to sink into his bones. He trusted her. He trusted her with all he had. It was so evident – how could she doubt it? He was like a blind man holding her hand to walk. Without her, he was alone, all alone in the darkness of his mind. Without her, he would suffer until madness consumed every bit of his soul. He didn't want to see her sad, anything would be better than the hurt lingering in her beautiful eyes.

"I'm fine, Sakura-chan, I swear!" he cheerfully promised, with a grin bright as a ray of sunlight. It was a smile so powerful that it would be impossible for honey to melt in his mouth, and too charming to not strike straight at her heart, but she wasn't one to be fooled by him. Ten years being his teammate, ten long years to learn every one of his tricks, every one of his twitches and lines of his face.

"We're going for a full examination as soon as we finish lunch." She informed him with a frown, knowing that Naruto was the biggest reckless idiot in the world who could go limping into battle and still claim that he was fine.

That's how he ended up here, following her down the hospital corridor to go gods know where, to do gods know what.

The pink-haired woman stopped at the nurse's desk to give some orders before leading him to an adjacent room. His eyebrows crunched in a frown, a small pout forming on his lips as Sakura went straight to prepare the examining table for him. He didn't like the idea of running more tests, but he guessed it was his divine punishment for his lie; his lie, and to make her worry over nothing.

"I'm fine, Sakura-chan," Naruto insisted, trying again to convince her. "We don't have to go through all of this."

He shut his mouth under the glare she directed to him. She didn't need words to be persuasive. He rubbed the back of his neck in discomfort, suddenly aware of the silent warning. He didn't want to try her patience, something in his gut told him he shouldn't.

"H-Hehe... Forget it! How do you want to begin?" He suggested more reasonably.

She turned back to continue flattening the linen over the mattress. "For now, it will be a basic check-up, and when the equipment is ready, we will investigate your brain to determine the cause of your vertigo to find a treatment." She explained very professionally.

He nodded in silent acceptation, his body stiff. The blue orbs wandered around, waiting for her to call him. The bland white walls, the view from the single window, the small instruments on the bedside table, more white – _boring!_ The ruffle of the fabric soon stopped and his ears twitched, attentive to her movements. The click of her pen, then the discreet sound of scribbling told him she was filling a medical chart before beginning the examination.

"Naruto."

The blond resignedly sighed hearing his name, and came closer to the table to join her. Her eyes followed him as he approached, his gait slow, his left hand in his pocket, and his gaze elsewhere. It was easy to guess that he didn't really want to do this. Naruto never had been one to like hospital examinations. He stopped barely a couple of feet away from her and she raised the medical chart to partly hide her face as his fingers grabbed the bottom of his tee-shirt to lift it up. Some pink tinted her cheeks when the item gracelessly landed at his side, leaving his chest bare.

A blond brow arched in curiosity as he looked at her, and Sakura cleared her throat to recompose her expression, being caught red handed at ogling at her man.

"So, let's begin with the basics." She announced, fumbling through the instruments to find the stethoscope.

The cold metal on his skin sent a shiver through it... or was it the light brush of her fingers as she moved the stethoscope around? She hovered just above his heart, her attention only on the medical check-up, while he couldn't stop himself from noticing her proximity. The way her shorter hair escaped it's delicate confinement from behind her ear, the perfectly drawn lines of her face, and her lovely shaped lips forming a pout in concentration. He turned his head to the side and tried to distract himself from the temptation of daydreaming about her. She was, undeniably, too damn cute for his sanity, and he didn't know what he would do to her if he kept looking at her.

Her hand grabbed his jaw, turning his face towards her. Without much ceremony, she flashed a bright light in his eyes, blinding him for a moment, before probing the side of his throat.

"Open your mouth." She ordered with the same medical tone, her face so close to his mouth that he was glad he brushed his teeth after their lunch.

A knock on the door interrupted her examination, quickly followed by the entrance of an intern. "Sakura-sama, I brought you the EEG you asked for."

"Very well. You can install it, Rui-san."

Naruto observed the young man from the corner of his eyes, plunging an array of electrodes into different inputs on the big machine. The man named Rui was discreetly glancing at the pink-haired medic while she was busily annotating her report. Something inside Naruto stirred at the visible interest of the man for Sakura. The blue eyes turned more somber, his piercing stare attracting the man's attention, and Rui jolted, frightened, clumsily knocking down the medical tray carrying the instruments.

"Be careful! If you're too tired to work properly, ask for a shift change and rest." Sakura ordered.

"Before you put my team to rest, shouldn't you consult with me? I'm in charge of this place in your absence." Tsunade teased, leaning back against the side of the doorway, a small smile lifting the corner of her lips.

"Shishō!" Sakura exclaimed, surprised, and bowed in respect. "I'm sorry, Milady. It wasn't my intention to overstep your command."

The former Hokage closed the door behind her to keep the privacy of the patient. "It's fine, even when you're dispatched for your missions, I understand that you still feel responsible for the hospital." She said, walking to her student. "So why are you here so early? Naruto's treatment is not for a couple of hours."

"Yesterday, Naruto lost consciousness and today he kept having balance trouble, so I brought him to find the cause of it." Sakura informed her master.

Tsunade leaned toward Naruto to search for any external symptoms on his face. The blue gaze briefly shifted from her face to the great view of her generous cleavage. Nine years with the same face, he couldn't be fooled! Maybe even those big balloons were fake... _It's a trick, all a trick..._ Tsunade wasn't young and sexy, she was an old woman in a disguise!

"Do you have any vertigo, or experienced any discomfort?" Tsunade inquired.

"Nothing at all, Baa-chan." Naruto used the nickname on purpose, intentionally pointing out the illusion.

"Baa-chan..." The former Hokage grumbled to herself, her fist itching to knock some respect into the boy's head.

Sakura awkwardly laughed, wary of her master's reaction and ready to lunge at Naruto to save him from a vindictive fist.

"Lady Tsunade, it's a good sign that Naruto is going back to his old habits..." The pinkette rationalized, hopeful to pacify the blond woman's wrath. She hadn't expected Naruto to call her master 'Baa-chan' when she had let slip the information about Tsunade being older. She did it all to stop his sprouting interest for her master's formidable cleavage. But now, she internally prayed that her idiot boyfriend would not blurt out more insensitive comments about the infamous Sannin's age.

Tsunade clicked her tongue in annoyance, her eyes not leaving the blue stare of the man in front of her. She flexed her fingers a couple of times, mentally listing all the reasons to not smash her boy's handsome face.

"Should I help you with _Honey's_ examination?"

There was something dangerous in the way Tsunade pronounced _'Honey'_ , and Sakura was torn between having her mentor's opinion on Naruto's case and risk a mishap if he said another forbidden comment, or just bluntly refusing the offer. The green eyes swayed from one blond to the other, evaluating the different options.

"I will do them by myself, and come discuss the results later with you when he will be with Ino." Sakura suggested. "I'm sure you're very busy with hospital duties. I wouldn't want to give you more work."

"I insist." Tsunade stated. The dark glint in the older woman eyes foreboding that nothing good would come from denying her any longer, a clear sign of some punitive intent.

There was no way to turn down the former Hokage, and Sakura worriedly glanced at her amnesiac boyfriend. She needed to find a moment to warn him. An uncomfortable smile stretched on her face, and she grabbed his elbow, pulling him up.

"Ha! Didn't you ask me for the restroom? I will show you where they are on this floor, Naruto."

"I don't – Kuhhh!" Sakura silenced him, stepping on his toes before he could blow their cover.

"We'll be back in a couple of minutes, Shishō!" Sakura called over her shoulder, dragging the blond man out of the room.

XXXXXXXX

After Sakura's thorough warning, the examination with Tsunade went surprisingly well. Naruto behaved, following the pinkette's advice to keep his mouth shut by any means. Even when the older woman tormented his pride by specifically injecting the tracing substance for the scan into his butt, instead of the thigh muscle more commonly used for such procedures, he stayed silent. It was proof that the man could, if he put some effort into it, be as good as gold. But to be perfectly honest with herself, Sakura had to admit that such behavior was mostly due to his amnesia and his blind acceptance related to it, taking everything coming from Sasuke or her as the truth.

The end of the series of tests coincided exactly with the arrival of a Hyūga summoned for further examination. The young woman entered, respectfully bowing to the elder kunoichi.

"Hi! Nee-sama is on a mission, so I came in her stead to answer your request."

"Thanks for coming, Hanabi. Did your sister tell you about Naruto's condition?" Tsunade asked.

The teenager nodded, sending a glance to the blond man sitting on the examination table. Their eyes met, and Naruto tilted his head in curiosity, observing the girl.

"Naruto, this is Hanabi Hyūga, Hinata's little sister."

The blond man blinked, twice. ' _Hinata – Big Boobs' little sister?'_

His gaze scanned the girl in front of him up and down, then up again. ' _Nope, except for the eyes, there's definitely not much resemblance between the two.'_

"Do you have the same parents?" His tongue slipped before his brain could register the lack of tact of his question.

The gentle fist he received in his gut took him by surprise, taking his breath away and making him clutch his midsection in pain.

"Hanabi! Naruto hasn't recovered yet. You shouldn't punch him!" Sakura interjected angrily.

"Hmph! He deserved it!" The young kunoichi pridefully lifted her nose up. "I know where to hit, I didn't touch any vital points, his chakra system works just fine and his problem is in his head, not his belly – He's amnesiac, isn't he? Nothing to do with his gut. So I don't see why I shouldn't be able to give him a fair and well-deserved lesson."

Sakura would normally agree with that, but being right wasn't a sufficient reason to punch Naruto, when _she_ couldn't lift a finger against him. "No violence is allowed until full recovery. Do you need a Hokage's order for that?" The pinkette stated, standing in front of Naruto, her arms crossed over her chest with authority.

Hanabi took one look at the woman and the message was clear: Sakura would defend Naruto, physically if needed. Team Seven's medic was a powerful kunoichi, fearsome, even. Her Byakugan wasn't enough; only a Sannin stood a chance to come out alive from a fight with such an opponent. She glanced one last time at the pink-haired woman, and deactivated her Byakugan. Their levels were too different even with the handicap of protecting a life inside her. There's no doubt that Sakura would win without a scratch. Only an idiot or a suicidal person would try to engage such dangerous adversary.

"No need to be so uptight." Hanabi waved casually. "I would never really hurt Naruto; I don't want Nee-sama to hate me."

Tsunade snorted, in some way the teen girl did what she had wanted to do herself. She was right, Naruto wasn't made of glass now that they were sure his chakra system worked properly. As long as her boy wasn't really hurt, it wasn't really a problem.

"Well, let me explain to you the protocol, Hanabi," The former Hokage continued, pulling the girl to the side to show her a picture of Naruto's brain scan of what they wanted to investigate.

Sakura huffed, keeping her temper on a leash with difficulty. It wasn't the time to bicker, as she needed the Hyūga's power to determine what was the cause behind Naruto's vertigo. She grabbed Naruto's medical report and wrote some annotations to vent her frustration.

Hanabi immediately left after her investigation and Tsunade stayed for a while, discussing the results with Sakura, before arriving to the same conclusion: the invisible matter had shifted. A new tentacle developed, swirling around Naruto's spinal cord, and the original mass had spread like a spider web. This new development could lead to a lesser density of blockage, possibly making the memories more easy to access, but the dangerous growth and the ramifications of the fine interweaving with Naruto's neural system were clearly worrisome. It was as if the invisible matter was working like a parasite, trying to merge with its host.

Naruto yawned, bored, lying on his side on the bed, his head supported by his hand. He gave a curious glance toward the two medics, and unabashedly scratched his butt, having given up on trying to understand their medical jargon. His blue gaze drifted to the door as he heard the doorknob turn. He wondered who it would be this time, as it seemed the whole hospital staff have entered this room to ask something of Tsunade or Sakura.

A familiar blonde beauty made a magnificent entrance worthy of the greatest diva; a beaming smile and swaying hips, her curves fantastic as always. Ino warmly greeted everyone, however her cheerfulness crashed against a wall of ill intent as she encountered Sakura's glare.

Just the sight of her eternal rival and best friend rekindled the flame of Sakura's blood lust. The promise to kill the woman still fresh from her morning humiliation at being caught dressed in a cheap whore outfit. The green eyes dug a hole through the blonde kunoichi, the killing aura seething around Sakura.

"Ino..." The pinkette growled menacingly.

"Sakura." The Yamanaka heiress retaliated with a 'teasing' calmness, one perfectly manicured hand resting on her hip while her other hand flipped her long ponytail over her shoulder.

Sakura tightened her fist. "We need to talk!"

Ino smiled, playful. Sakura was so easy to read, it was almost too cute. "Really? Do you want to talk to me before I treat Naruto or after?"

The green eyes briefly switched to the blond man on the examination table. It would be better to have Ino work first before she destroyed her rival's face. "After." Sakura grumbled grudgingly, restraining her moody temper with difficulty.

"Well, it's settled!" Ino chirped happily, pivoting 90 degrees on her heels to face her patient. "So... How have you been, Naruto-kun? Did you miss me?" Ino openly flirted with the young man to add more fuel to Sakura's annoyance.

An arm sneaked around the pinkette's shoulders before the woman could go and strangle the Yamanaka heiress. "We should let them work, and maybe you will want some sake while working through some paperwork with me to make up for the time I spent on Naruto's case?" Tsunade suggested.

 _'God! I would love sake! And a whole bottle of it too!'_

"No sake, but I'll help you, Shishō."

Sakura followed her master's lead, and huffed to cool down her head. She stopped at the door and turned towards the two blondes. "Don't try to escape before our talk, Pig!"

The green gaze softened when Sakura met the blue eyes of her amnesiac boyfriend. "And don't go anywhere without me, Naruto." She demanded before leaving the room.

Ino couldn't stop herself from chuckling. Sakura was really too fun too tease.

"What's so funny?" Naruto asked, curious.

"Nothing, nothing... It's just, Sakura is too predictable... it's... Forget it! How was your day?" Ino answered, hastily drying a lost tear at the corner of her eye to not ruin her eyeliner.

"Not much. We trained. Sakura-chan taught me how to walk on water and then I came here for some exams."

"Did they find something interesting?" Ino inquired, placing a stool in front of where Naruto was now sitting.

"Don't ask me! I didn't understand a single thing of what they were discussing. But I trust them, I'm sure they'll try their best to help me."

The blonde woman eyed him and noticed his shorter hair. A small pout formed on her painted lips. Naruto had been so handsome with his hair combed, and he still looked good with his hair short too. He definitely was worth flirting with, even if she wouldn't seriously compete with Sakura.

Naruto blinked, surprised, as a small delicate finger gently touched the tip of his nose.

"Don't forget me! I, too, will try my best to help you!" He heard Ino say, winking at him.

A genuine smile stretched on the jinchūriki's face. Being openly accepted by the people close to him was always a great form of reassurance. It was proof that no matter how painful his past was, it was in the past. He could now walk forward with some good friends by his side.

"I'm in your care, Ino-san."

The sexy blonde woman leaned forward, her glossy lips just an inch away from his face. "Ino- _chan_!" She corrected him, teasingly.

"Ino-chan," Naruto innocently repeated, completely unaware of the flirting attempt. "What do I have to do today? I could try to think about being Hokage again since I went to Kakashi's office yesterday. It might help to awaken some stuff."

The Yamanaka heiress sighed, dejected. Naruto was a lost case, he certainly was one of the rare males to be unaffected by her charms.

"It's a good idea, but I want to begin with something else first." She announced, taking a more professional posture. "Close your eyes. Relax. Be ready..." Ino waited for him to follow her orders. She deeply inhaled, readying herself too for the extraction session, and slowly exhaled before giving her last command. "Think about Sakura!"

His brows knit in confusion. It was the first time Ino asked him to think about someone specifically, and Sakura no less. But in a way, it made some sense if Sasuke and Sakura were his best friends since childhood.

Naruto tried to concentrate about what he knew about the girl:

 _Sakura is smart. Sakura is kind. Sakura curls her lips when she's deep in thought. Sakura looks down when she's sad. Sakura's brows twitch before her temper explodes. Sakura puts her hand on her hips to show confidence. Sakura tucks loose locks of her lovely pink hair behind her ears before explaining anything._

 _Sakura has beautiful hair. Sakura is – beautiful. Beautiful with her smile. Her charming forehead. Her soft white skin._

 _Her desirable lips..._

Ino carefully listened to the rambling of Naruto's thought process, searching for a sign in the dark realm. The first waves were hesitant, almost timid. However, soon Naruto began to forget about Ino's presence and became more free, letting his wandering thoughts be more bold.

 _Sakura's hips, Sakura's long toned legs, Sakura... Sakura..._

Ino noticed a faint spark and amplified the effect with her mental power. The memories unfolded, raw and intense. Like last time, it was an emotion which triggered a sequence of images to be unleashed. They unreeled like broken films, all the short moments mixed up and cut randomly with no clear beginning or end. But there was no need for explanation to understand what was going on. She felt her cheeks warm at witnessing such private memories, but she couldn't stop herself from watching or being somehow excited by the images.

 _Part of bodies, naked, skin against skin._

 _Moans, growls, huffs_

 _Erratic movements, hands groping, passionate kisses..._

The love-making moments were wild, so vivid that she was completely immersed in the flow of memories like being a part of it. Ino was feeling more and more aroused by the second. She was enthralled by the sight, the emotions, the sensations. It was so real, so real it was unsettling. Her eyes were glued to the images, her fingers creasing the material of her skirt, and her thighs rubbing against each other. It was so hot that she sincerely doubted that it was only some of his fantasies. If it weren't for the moment where the vision was interrupted, revealing the change of scene between dreams, where Naruto's gaze showed off his toned chest and his hand masturbating his generous member, she would have thought he was really having a secret affair with Sakura. It had been so detailed, as if the Sakura in his imagination was everything like the original one. How long had he observed her to be able to recreate her so perfectly in his mind?

The images unfolding before her eyes left no doubt of the desire Naruto sported for his pink-haired teammate, or the evident love he had for her. There was not a single fantasy that wasn't about said girl. Some were pretty naive with chaste kisses on Sakura's skin, some more daring where he let free an animalistic lust for his dream girl.

Ino's attention snapped back to reality, forgetting about the stimulating visions, when she heard him moan in the outside world. For him, there was no difference between memories and actual experiences. His brain was living it again and so was his body.

She hastily exited his unconscious realm and covered his mouth with her hands to muffle his voice. She didn't really want the sound he was making to alert the hospital staff and have to deal with some unwanted gossip. Naruto was a sensitive subject in Konoha, and even more to Sakura. Ino could easily imagine her best friend and rival snapping her neck like a stick at the simple idea of taking advantage of him.

Naruto abruptly opened his eyes, disoriented, and met Ino's. For a couple of seconds, he didn't divert his gaze, time on hold for him. The room was completely silent except for his covered panting. He could feel his breath reflecting against her palm and hitting his face in slow wave of warmth. She was immobile too, a pearly white tooth biting the side of her bottom lip. Her pink cheeks and somewhat embarrassed expression raised an alarm bell in his head. It clicked. He suddenly noticed his own state: the slight sweat running along his neck, the hotness in his lower belly, and his pants incredibly tight. The cerulean blue eyes looked down and confirmed what he was afraid of. He was hard.

He shifted to hide the protrusion, placing his arm on his left thigh while trying to be nonchalant. He tried not to show his profound awkwardness in his attitude. Her gaze followed his line of vision, and she noticed it too. Ino restrained a small squeak from escaping as she could see for herself that he was undeniably well-endowed.

The sound of him clearing his throat broke her fascination, and her baby blue eyes met his slightly darker ones. Naruto was cute with the pink on his cheeks now spreading up to his ears . He looked almost as innocent as a kid. Was he really the same man with fantasies that could put the whole collection of Icha Icha Paradise to shame? She didn't have more time to enjoy this side of him as she heard some unintelligible mumble when he broke eye contact.

"Sorry! I didn't mean to-uh..." Ino said, taking her hands off his mouth and straightening herself to a more appropriate distance. She lowered her gaze, suddenly self-conscious. "Can you repeat what you said, please?"

Naruto nervously rubbed the back of his neck with his right hand, carefully keeping his left in place to hide the bulge in his nether region. "Can you..." He blushed more, turning his face to the opposite side to her. "Can you put those memories away?" He pressed his hand to his face, partially hiding his expression in between his spread fingers. "I don't think I'll be able to calm down if I have them around."

Curious, Ino darted a glance at the young man. He was beet red, beet red with his shoulder slightly tensed. The corner of her mouth twitched a bit; she really was tempted to tease him. Just a little. Because like Sakura, he was so easy to tease. People like them were like candy from heaven, it was hard to resist such a treat. Completely forgetting about her own previous embarrassment, Ino rested a perfectly painted nail on the plump of her bottom lip and looked straight at him, a small impish glint in her eyes.

"Don't you want to release the pressure first?"

Naruto choked, his eyes wide in surprise. Their eyes met again as he instinctively turned his head to face her, and he stayed speechless for a moment.

"It would be painful to let it strain any longer, ne?" She offered, her voice sweet and almost ingenuous.

He forced a small uncomfortable laugh. Was it his imagination, or was he really feeling like a lamb in front of a wolf? "Ano... Ino-chan..."

She rested a gentle hand on his shoulder, giving him a light squeeze. "Don't be shy with me, I know all of your secrets, and they are safe with me."

Knowing that she knew about everything didn't make him any more at ease, quite the contrary. But he wasn't one to admit his weakness out loud . "I'm not shy! It's just..."

"What is it?" She probed, enjoying herself a little too much, her eyes scrutinizing every one of his reactions.

"I..." His eyes shifted to the side, his arm coming closer to his body to cover his erection more. He looked like a pressure cooker ready to explode, struggling with some inner conflict.

Feeling merciful, she decide to shorten her game. "You can just draw the privacy curtain and call me when you're done." She told him, standing up and stepping back before pulling the material around the bed to form a barrier between them. "See! Do as you need! You're all alone with yourself, except if you want my help." She chuckled, imagining his scandalized expression.

Naruto blinked, dumbfounded, not even taking notice of her last offer. He just stupidly looked at the drawn fabric, wondering if it was really okay for him to do it in the same room as her. It was true that he was so hard that it would be difficult to deflate it without being utterly frustrated. His gaze lowered to the thing responsible of his predicament, and sighed in bitter resignation. He didn't really have much choice here.

His hand fumbled with his pants, opening the button with a flick and pulled down the zipper with a rustling sound. His fingers glided inside his boxers, immediately latching around his pulsating member. The contact with his sensitive skin made him shiver. His need was scorching through his veins and he felt his penis twitch in appreciation.

He closed his eyes to go back to his fantasies and relived what his past and current self shared: a burning desire for Sakura. His hand moved a couple of times before he ground his teeth in frustration. It was impossible, he couldn't bring himself to masturbate knowing Ino was just on the other side of the curtain. Even if he tried to be as silent as possible, he couldn't concentrate with her in the same room as him.

Ino, on the other side of the curtain, was compelled by every movement of his shadow, regretting not having a Byakugan to be able to see more clearly. Call it curiosity or basic perverseness, but she couldn't turn around or avoid looking. Her memories were still too full of the visions she witnessed in his mind and it was easy for her to imagine what was going on behind the screen.

She saw him through his eyes in his memories. She saw him pleasuring himself, holding his shirt with his teeth to reveal his enticing abs and his pants open for the proud proof of his virility. She heard his sensual voice in his head murmuring loving words to an imaginary Sakura. She felt with her flesh the torrid desire he expressed.

She couldn't enter his mind without being completely immersed into him and his fiery emotions. She couldn't be so close and stay insensible to it. He was just so passionate a being that he was dazzling. Naruto was like a flame attracting moths to him. Even if she weren't in any sort of infatuation with their blond hero, it was impossible to not be swept into his whirlpool.

Ino heard a faint frustrated growl before he directly addressed her. "Ino-chan, Can you– Is it possible for you to wait outside?"

The blonde woman chuckled at imagining his face all red while formulating this request. She had tortured him enough for today and could spare him more embarrassment.

"Just ask an intern outside for me, I will be in Sakura's office. And don't go anywhere before I fold your memories." She said while waving her hand a few times in front of her face to bring some fresh air to her overly heated cheeks.

"Oh... OK!" Naruto answered, still uncomfortably fidgeting with his predicament.

Ino checked her appearance in her pocket mirror, she couldn't possibly look flustered in front of the hospital staff, and exited the room once she was satisfied with her reflection.

Sakura opened her surprised wide eyes as Ino barged into her office, while Tsunade just helped herself another cup of sake at the new arrival.

"Before any bad news, want some?" The former Hokage offered, pointing to the bottle at her side.

Ino eyed the translucent liquid, tempted to accept. "Just a little. I have some work to finish after that."

"If you have to work, don't drink!" Sakura sternly berated Ino.

"Don't be so boring, Forehead! You're not that picky with Tsunade-sama."

"Oh, she told me too!" Tsunade intervened, bringing the cup to her lips, unfazed.

Ino giggled at having the former Hokage's companionship, and helped herself to a cup. "You should drink one too, it'll help you loosen up. You seem to be in bad mood, Forehead."

"No thanks to you, Pig!" Sakura growled dangerously.

"So, what's the problem?" Tsunade inquired, resting her chin on her hand and looking straight at the mentalist.

"What makes you think that I have bad news?" The Yamanaka heiress questioned, putting down her cup.

Tsunade sipped the little cup appreciatively. "Because people tend to come in this office only to bring paperwork or bad news. You're empty handed, so I concluded it was the second solution."

"Nothing bad!" Ino innocently chirped, mischievously smiling while sending a glance at the pink haired woman at her side, knowing the real reason behind her visit in the head medic office. "I just had few minutes to spare before continuing Naruto's treatment."

"Is he okay?" Sakura hastily asked.

"Perfectly fine! The session today went pretty well. He just needed some time with himself and I thought I could use the break to come ask you about the result of his exams."

Tsunade searched for the report in a desk drawer and dropped it in front of Ino. "To make it short, your job might become easier, but we need to be careful to not overdo it as it seems that the remnant of the invisible matter is even more interlaced with his neurons."

The Yamanaka heiress rapidly read through the content. "I see... Can't we try an extraction of it, like you did when he was first admitted?"

Tsunade helped herself to another cup, shaking her head in desolation. "What I didn't remove at first can't be removed anymore without risking frying his brain. It's too dangerous to even try. Our only hope is for his body to reject it naturally with time."

"So maybe I should wrap things up for today to let him adjust to his new set of memories." Ino speculated.

"What was it about?" Sakura questioned, curious.

Ino winked at her eternal rival, a finger in front of her lips. "Can't tell, it's confidential; it's only between me and Naruto-kun."

Sakura fumed in irritation at the provocation.

"Stop that! We have enough work to do without needing to clean a destroyed office. If you're finished here, go to your own business. Sakura is doing this annoying paperwork for me. Come back only to bring us Naruto. Go! Shoo, shoo!" Tsunade chased Ino with a flick of her hand.

"I'm sorry, Tsunade-sama!" The Yamanaka heiress respectfully bowed before leaving the office.

XXXXXXX

Naruto partially opened the door of the treatment room only to find Ino waiting for him, her back against the wall of the corridor, her arms crossed over her chest and her eyes closed.

"Uh... Ino-chan? I thought you were in Sakura's office."

"I was, but I finished early." Her tone was a little harsh as she was pissed off at having been kicked out by Tsunade.

"Sorry to make you wait, you can come back if you want." Naruto told her, rubbing his neck.

Her anger deflated at once, hearing his apologetic tone, and she turned towards him to follow him into the room. Her lips opened in a silent gasp at the sight of him. He was looking at her from behind his long eyelashes, his face still flushed red and his eyes tiredly half closed. He looked ravishing with a subtle mix of innocence and wildness. The lingering air of ecstasy around him reminiscent of his previous activity added to the sexiness of the scene, making him even more attractive.

 _Damn Forehead! She really does have the best luck..._

"I'm ready, you can put the memories away." Naruto told her, passing a hand through his hair as he went back to sit on the examination table.

Ino nodded, taking her place on the high stool in front of him. Her gesture elegant, she moved her bangs with a twist of her delicate wrist. Her gaze looked to the side for a fraction of second to distract herself from all the signs of his pleasure and keep her uncalled captivation in check. Closing her eyes, she cleared her throat to compose herself before concentrating on entering his subconscious.

The task was easy; she just needed to roll the films like a scroll and put them away in an activated part of his brain. But Ino stopped a little longer in front of the memories, wondering why their favorite loud mouth had rejected Sakura's confession if he was so head-over-heels for her. She doubted Kiba would have shared false gossip about it. There was something strange about it, strange in the simile of a perfect friendship Naruto and Sakura shared when he loved her deep down. And since the pinkette was an obvious tsundere with an obvious crush on her supposed best friend.

' _Why? Why? Why?'_

Her interest was sparked, the desire to discover what was behind this inconsistency was aroused. Ino Yamanaka, master of secrets and self-proclaimed Gossip Queen, would decipher the mystery behind their strange status quo by any means .

"It's all done for today. How are you feeling?"

Naruto exhaled, his shoulders slumping in relief. "I'm fine, thanks!"

"You want to talk about it?" Ino asked, trying to pry the actual feeling of the blonde man for her best friend.

Naruto blushed and clapped his hands in prayer. "Please! Don't tell Sakura about those... those... ya' know..."

"I won't..." ' _I prefer to tease her_.' Ino flashed a predatory grin, a singular light in the depth of her clear eyes. "Let's go to Sakura's office."

 **PLEASE TELL ME IF YOU LIKE IT OR NOT. TELL ME WHATEVER YOU FEEL OR THINK. JUST SAY Hi! BUT SAY SOMETHING TO LET ME KNOW THAT YOU ARE STILL HERE.**

 **THANK YOU FOR REVIEWING**


	22. Chapter 22

**THANKS TO GINA TSUKIKO FOR BETA READING THE CHAPTER**

 _TheAztecKing: Thank you_

 _Donthedarkdragon26: You found the chapters short? They are longer and longer. (compare to my previous work How I fell in love and Dangerous infiltration mission, they are easily the double). For Ino, there will be no Omake. I am just busy finishing this work, I won't add more. About the strange matter, I will reveal slowly clue about it, more and more... Thank you for your support and I hope you will continue to enjoy your reading._

 _kevin Duarte2000: It is a slow development story. So things happen progressively. Be assured that I cut a big part of it to make it shorter already. I hope you will like it anyway. Thank you_

 _Naru285: *evil smirk* teasing is good isn't it? more pressure make better release... About How I fell in love, with the lack of return nowadays about it. I don't want to invest more time and effort in writing. I'll finish my work as a line of duty. But I don't think I will continue to write in the near future. Thank you for your support._

 _mangafreak1997:Thank you_

 _har: Thank you from the bottom of my heart! About the story, I can't disclose the plot. But I hope you will like it._

 _Merchant of blue death: Thank you again for the correction. It is always very helpful as sometime the translation I get are not the more proper. Thank you for your support too!_

 _eight heroes: It will be a slow progress of their relationship. Thank you for being here._

 _maxslayer10: I hope you will like when the truth really unfold *wink*. About the thing in Naruto's head, you will see it purpose later. And about Tsunade, who said she didn't notice? Hanabi have already notice too... Thank you for your support_

 _sinedd662: Thank you for your deep explanation. I clearly understand your unfriendliness about Sasuke. I personnaly would not like to have a friend like him as he is depicted in the anime. Naruto have faith in him and love him, so I tried to search a reason for it. So I try to built up 'my' Sasuke on the data provided from his early childhood (when he was still loving and cute with Itachi) and on the fact that he tried to redeem himself. So 'my' Sasuke ended up a bit more friendly even if he act sometime still like an asshole with mostly everyone except the people he consider his family (so Naruto and because Sakura is pregnant from Naruto, Sakura too now). He is as well tortured, because you can't do so much harm without having some guilty feeling haunting you at night (So I tried to give him more psychological aspect than a simple emo-jerk in 2 dimension). It differ so from the Sasuke avenger exposed in most of the anime where is only concern was to surpass and kill his brother, then avenge his brother who have been put as a scapegoat by the shinobi world. I am sorry if this version is OCC, but I kind of wanted to make him more human like. I kind of like to think that there is light in even the darkest soul. About the Boruto part. I completely avoid this serie. It make me want to puke. I completely agree on your statement that Sasuke should not have married Sakura. Thank for your congratulation for the 500 reviews, it is indeed nice to see people connecting with me and appreciating my 365 days of sleepless nights and exhaustion over a free work. I hope that even if my version of Sasuke is not really as dark than the original work, you will still continue to appreciate the story. Thank you for your support._

 _blueZ44: Hi! Thank you for being here_

 _Aewina-chwan: Hello cher amie! Quel plaisir comme toujours de te retrouver. C'est un vrai rayon de soleil dans ma journée de recevoir tes commentaires. Je suis ravie que tu apprecie le rythme et le developpement de l'histoire, les petites anecdotes et histoires paralleles pour vous faire rire ou ateyer le context. Concernant Sakura, il y aura d'autre dadass moments. Ino est un de mes characters preferées. Elle est souvent sous utilise mais elle a tellement de potentiel. Et Naruto se masturbe pour la 2e fois. Il ressemble a un ado parce qu'il a ce petit coté tout innocent malgré sa perversité naturelle. Merci d'etre là, j'espere que je ne te decevrais pas._

 _narusakufanficfan1: Thank you_

 _alphadark19: For now Naruto just saw his own fantaisies. All will come in its right timing. Thank you for being here!_

 _HITMAN0569: Thank you!_

 _WindyCitySlayer1: Thank you for your support! I hope you will continue to like it._

 _Guest0076: Thank you!_

 _beastedon: I hope you will like how everything will turn out. Thank you for your support_

 _ThatPageantGirl: Ino is such a great girl. She is not the strongest kunoichi, but she have a great mind and she is so funny to work. Thank you for being here!_

 _joey91731: Ino is more about to play with Sakura than to reveal things about Naruto memories. She is sealed with the medical secret. She can't tell to other what is in Naruto's mind._

 _shellyturtlesguy:Thank you very much for your support. I hope your own work is going well! Keep up the good job._

 _dpmaragoni: It will come out of the way after sometime, but not immediately. I hope you will still enjoy it. Thank you for being here_

 _BlindSaya:Some dreams are so vivid that they look the same as reality. So it might be difficult to distinguish dream from truth as it is only 'short' jumbled sequences of images than Ino can see. Thank you for your support_

 _tiny tanaka: Hanabi have noticed Sakura pregnancy. Who said that Tsunade didn't notice it too? Ino it is for another prupose. I hope you will like how everything will unfold. Thank you!_

 _YeagerMeister31: Ino did offer to help him, even if it was just to tease him. And I bet Sakura would have simply killed her if she did. Thank you for being here._

 _RSfan: No problem for the wait, I appreciate that you show up. It will be once a week only for the chapter. My writing is done, but we still have the correction to do. Post production take a lot of time too. But I least I can have few more hours of sleep at night now. I think your opinion about Naruto talking to his friend is perfectly justified and natural. But I didn't work my fic out like that. I hope it won't disappoint you. Thank you for your support._

 _Guest: Hi! Thank you for being here._

 **Chap 21: The double face of a nightmare**

The darkness enveloping the room was tranquil, the silence only broken by the sound of low breathing. It was quiet, undeniably quiet. The futons were splayed on the old tatami floor of the second rate guest house, both mattresses at a reasonable distance from each other. The room was far from luxurious, only the bare minimum available for the guests. But it was more than comfortable by shinobi standards, even with the small stain of mold growing on the ceiling.

Two perfectly folded piles of clothes resided on the shelves in the right corner, shoes neatly organized at the entrance, and swords tidily laying near their heads. The Konoha ninja were sleeping as immobile as statues, the slow rise and fall of their chest the only betrayal. The short rest had been welcomed after their long journey to the village; a shower, some food, and a bed seeming like heaven.

Until now, their mission had been mostly uneventful, the village they were visiting not yet prey to any riots. They patrolled separately for long hours in the streets and the countryside in search of clues or signs of an imminent revolt. But there was nothing. Nothing at all. The life was just going on in its earthbound routine: farmers in their field, vendors passing with their sleighs filled to the brim with goods to sell, and the village with its incessant activities were proof of the peace in the Land of Fire. After one last round, the two ninja agreed on a short rest before further continuing their investigation.

The rustle of bedsheets disturbed the silence for a moment before returning to an apparent serenity. Despite being consumed by fatigue and asleep for less than two hours, the former rogue ninja couldn't find peace in his slumber. Furrowed brows and some facial twitches were the only expressions of his torment. He was cursed, forever tortured by the venom of his nightmares. When was the last time he had slept? – Really slept? It seemed to him that he never really had.

His childhood at been plagued by the death of his entire clan. Those horrendous visions were then replaced by killing his own brother, Itachi's gentle smile eternally haunting his guilty conscience. And now? Now it was a mix, an inferno of all those agonizing traumas. But more than anything, a recurring dream, a 'nightmare', of Naruto's death.

The visions were always hazy, muddled. They never began the same way but invariably ended in an identical manner. Whatever route was taken, whatever the original subject was, he was stuck in a unalterable loop where the face of the dying Itachi morphed into Naruto.

The sky, gray and heavy, seemed to weigh on his shoulders like an ill omen. The ground in ruins, damaged by the furious battle between brothers, gave the background a note of desolation. The two main opponents faced each other a few feet apart in their final moment.

Itachi, blood dripping from the corner of his mouth, arms slack, walked toward him. His steps were unsteady, but he still appeared terrifying with the hollow shadow of his Susano-o above him. Sasuke, in his adult form, was petrified the way he had been years prior, eyes wide open, silent spectator of Itachi's last moments.

"Sa – su – ke" The voice trembled, rough, changing on its last note from the low baritone of the fearsome Uchiha to a more cheerful one of another man, as dear as his own brother.

Sasuke flinched, his back against the wall, as the Akatsuki leader took another step forward. A small smile stretched on Itachi's lips and the face distorted in a blur, the night hair turning into a mess of sun kissed locks and eyes as blue as the ocean fixing onto his soul.

"Sasuke..." Naruto whispered, raising his bloodied hand to the last Uchiha's face.

Sasuke wanted to move, to change fate, but his muscles were unable to do the simplest thing. The finger slowly touched his forehead and Naruto's body slumped forward, his last breath exhaled near the Uchiha's ear. His heart stopped.

Sasuke jolted into a sitting position, his breathing erratic and cold sweat sliding along his spine. His teammate stirred in his sleep, awakened by the abrupt movement of the former rogue ninja. His dark pupils adjusted to the near complete darkness, making him guess at the outline of the other man. Sai couldn't distinguish much, but there was something in the tensed posture of the Uchiha that intrigued him.

"Traitor, something wrong?" The artist asked, using the nickname which irritated the Uchiha the most.

"Get lost! I told you to not speak to me for anything other than the mission!" Sasuke grumbled, his hands covering his face, his last vision still so painfully vivid in his mind making him restless.

"Not that I want to speak to you, but as your teammate..."

"You're. Not. My. Teammate! Don't flatter yourself with that title, you don't deserve it." Sasuke bit back, sensitive from his nightmare.

"I was just trying to be nice. But I guess that's not how I should be with you..."

"Just shut up! Go back to sleep! I don't want you slowing me down tomorrow." The Uchiha barked, pushing his covers away before walking to the small bathroom adjacent to their room.

Sai eyed him darkly as he passed, his gaze quickly flickering to the shining blade near his pillow. He'd blindly killed all his life, and it was so tempting to end this life all the same – but Naruto would never forgive him. So he just flopped back onto his futon, pulling the covers up to his chin. The Traitor could go to hell for all he cared, he wasn't one to get sentimental over assholes.

The door closed with a loud bang, Sasuke's hand still shaking on the doorknob. There were too many sleepless nights, too many nights with the same nightmare as an apocalyptic premonition. He took a sharp breath to calm his nerves and released the handle. The tile floor felt cool under his bare feet and his fingers gripped the polished surface of the sink, his head hanging low above it. With jerky movements Sasuke turned on the water, letting it flow for a couple of seconds, looking at it in a haze before plunging his hands into the liquid to splash his face.

The water helped to clear his mind. Slowly he was coming back to his senses, the dream fading, and only the terrible aftertaste of despair lingering in his heart. His hollow stare lifted to the mirror, observing his night-like pupils in the reflection. He was going to die! He would not survive another death, not Naruto's. He was sure of it. Already, just the thought of it made him look wan, lifeless like an empty shell.

A shudder ran down his spine, his throat still tight with anguish, and he repressed the urge to punch the reflection into a million pieces. It was almost as if it were mocking him, this twisted reflection, his tortured consciousness. It whispered in his ears, seeped into his mind, relentlessly burning him from the inside with flames darker than his amaterasu. His shadow was an abominable companion, always there, insidiously waiting in the darkness of his heart for him to close his eyes, to scratch under the surface his never healing wounds. He was infected, incurable, his soul gangrened with the poison of his sins.

Drops fell off his nose, slid down his chin, and disappeared in a spiral down the sink. He was immobile, holding his breath during his scrutiny. The only sound being the slow dripping from the tap, water ticking like a clock in the near silence of the bathroom. His hand nervously passed over his face and pulled back his hair. His eyes connected with his reflection one more time, watching his half dead soul writhe in pain, an eternal prisoner of his fate. He couldn't do much about it, he just had to endure. Endure with the pride of an Uchiha.

The former rogue ninja's steps were muffled by the cushion provided by the tatami when he returned to the room, and Sai would probably not have been able to notice his presence if he wasn't such a high level shinobi. There was no doubt the traitor was excellent at stealth, his gait conditioned to be discreet as the foot of a feline. The artist felt the man lie down, he didn't stir but his gut clenched imperceptibly at knowing he was so close. He was still fairly unfamiliar with the concept of emotion but there was something about the Uchiha that disturbed him.

His attention perked up, his ears registering each sound as the man nearby forced a sigh. The breathing was steady, however not relaxed with sleep. Sai wondered for a moment if the man ever slept. It wasn't the first time the traitor would just lie motionless, clearly not asleep until the time to get up came. Was it all those years on the road which made him careful beyond the extreme? Was Sasuke doubting him, aware of his desire to kill?

Sai blinked his eyes in the night, his curiosity pushing him to ascertain if the former rogue closed his eyelids during those moments of stillness. Deprived of most light, it took him a moment of scrutiny to make out from the shadows the figure of the man. His pale skin gently contrasting with the general darkness around him, his shape drawn in a shade of gray, the curve of the well of his eyes, the straight line of his nose, the plum of his lips... It's a waste for so much beauty to gather on such a rotten man, the artist thought, his gaze lingering longer on the perfect shape of Sasuke's earlobe.

XXXXXXXXX

The next village was a few miles away and again the insurrection had not yet struck. Sai had been charged with the outskirts while his partner patrolled the streets. Loyal to his pledge to serve Konoha to the best of his ability, the artist took it upon himself to tail the former rogue ninja and report on him to the Hokage. Drawing some lines in his sketchbook he released the jutsu to give life to a small flying insect, the spy for his surveillance mission. On rapidly flapping wings the fly took off, hot on the trail of the Uchiha prodigy. Staying at a careful distance from the target, the miniature spy observed all actions, ready to report to his creator.

Covered with a long dark cape, his bangs hiding half of his face, Sasuke walked through the streets, his eyes scanning the area in search of any abnormal behavior. A group of men worked to repair the front of a small grocery shop, some women pulled their kids with them while conversing, an old woman passed with a heavy looking basket, and a dog ran in circles to grab his own tail.

'Stupid dog!' A ghost of a smile cracked on his lips, his thoughts going elsewhere for the briefest second. 'What was the Dobe doing now?'

Going back to his stroll, the former rogue ninja wandered from right to left in the winding of the scrimpy alleys. In this part of the village the houses seemed more modest, the paint ratty, the wood worn, and the rooftops were falling apart in some places. A rat ran by his legs, scared by the unusual presence, and Sasuke crushed the annoying fly that had been following him against the adjacent wall with his palm. A low growl sounded in the back of his throat. He hated being watched over. Cleaning the ink with a handkerchief he continued with his inspection, going further into the den of poverty.

The Uchiha was beginning to wonder if his former teacher wasn't getting too old, his senses dulled to have sent them on a false trail, when he noticed a small shack made out of recycled boards and fabrics at the end of a narrow back street. Approaching the curtain serving as the door, he glanced inside through the holes of the torn material. Three bodies were huddled together against the wall, their little legs trembling with fear, aware of the presence of the tall man outside.

Sasuke leaned closer and his fingers gripped the curtain to pull it open. A strident voice shrieked in fright, tightening their hold on each other as light entered their shelter. His eyebrow twitched, annoyed to no end by the noise, and he refrained from his need to clamp his hand over the yelling mouths to stop the cacophony. Fortunately for him one of the kids recognized him, and as he pointed a little finger toward the shinobi, the other two stopped their unbearable screaming.

"It's the man – it's the man!" The kid shouted in disbelief.

The former rogue ninja crouched down to be at their level and made a sign to lower their voice. The three kids stiffened at first, and then crawled to the door to come closer to the man.

"You came for us?" The first kid, a brown haired boy of about ten years old, whispered in compliance with their savior's request to be less loud.

"No, not really." Sasuke replied, brutally honest.

The little girl to the left of the boy tilted her head, searching past his shoulder. "Where is the nice blonde man?" She asked disappointed to not see him. "He disappeared in a puff shortly after he showed us the trail to find a village."

"He stayed at home. He couldn't come with me this time." The Uchiha heir explained, his eyes glancing over their appearance. The kids were incredibly skinny, famished certainly, and their skin marked was with the mistreatment they had lived through. Their feet were covered in dirt and scratches, their clothes were the same bundle of shredded fabric as when he found them. They had pulled them out of their hell, but nobody helped them further. Even in this prosperous time, it was still difficult to take charge of additional mouths to feed.

"Where is your home?" The girl questioned curiously, wondering if she could see the kind blonde man again.

"Konoha." The ninja showed the metal plate with his village symbol attached to his right arm. "And you, where is your home?" Sasuke asked back.

"The bad men have burned it. We have no home." The brown haired boy answered defensively, latching his arms around the youngest girl, probably his sister.

"I see." Sasuke glanced at the third kid, slightly apart from the two other, his limbs shaking uncontrollably and his frightened eyes not leaving him. "I'm not here to hurt you." Sasuke told him bluntly, making the boy shiver more.

Kids were not his forte, Naruto or Sakura were the ones to take care of the more gentle parts of interrogations. Sasuke pinched his lips in a thin line, searching his mind for how the Dobe would proceed to earn the trust of brats.

"I'm searching for the ghost to get rid of it." He tried, using their language to describe the dark matter.

"The ghost who eats children?" The girl said, terrified.

"Yeah, the ghost from the fort." The ninja confirmed, satisfied that the trick worked. Maybe kids weren't that hard to deal with. Nothing that an Uchiha couldn't handle.

"It came after us?" The girl trembled from head to toe. "It's after us?"

"I don't think so."Sasuke paused, wondering if there was a correlation between the kids and the riots. "Where are the other kids?" He continued.

"They couldn't walk anymore, so they stayed in other villages. We wanted to get away from the fort as far as possible to be safe." The older boy answered.

"Did any of you see anything strange during your journey? People being violent with each other?" The Uchiha heir questioned, in hope of finding a indicator. The three heads shook from side to side.

There was nothing more to gain from them, and Sasuke pulled a small paper from his pocket to write something on it. "Go to my village, Konoha, it's a week away from here. Walk there on the north road." He gave the paper to the older boy. "Show the paper to the guard at the entrance, you'll be safe." He affirmed, not elaborating more and leaving without another spare word.

Naruto would have helped them, it was the least he could do to walk the same path as the blonde.

XXXXXXXXXX

Sai found his partner about an hour or so after Sasuke destroyed his spy. The Uchiha was seated on a tree branch, invisible to passerby, his eyes trained on observing the animation below him. The lithe figure materializing at his side didn't surprise him and Sasuke didn't even bother to acknowledge the other man.

"You knew?" Came the accusing question.

"Hn."

"From when?" Sai continued.

"Don't talk to me if it's not about the mission." Sasuke replied, irritated.

"It is my mission!" The artist insisted on the 'my' with a fake smile, trying to keep a courteous facade.

"Not my business." Sasuke said dismissively, not sparing a glance to the pitiful excuse of a teammate that Sai was.

"It's my duty..."

"Tch!" The Uchiha heir snarled. "As if I care – I'm not running away so give me some slack, will you?"

"I'll do my report whether you want it or not."

The glare Sai received nearly made him lose his footing, the sharingan glowing from his threatening red color. "Don't test my patience." Sasuke growled in a low tone.

Recovering fast, the artist squared his shoulders, his head high and his face an emotionless mask. "Try me." He defied the former rogue ninja.

The sharingan user scornfully eyed him for a brief second and then diverted his gaze to his previous activity. He had to admit as pestering as the man was, the guy did have some guts to stand firm in front of him. Sai might have more to him than just a brush and some ink, but not enough to be called his replacement or his teammate.

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Naruto."

A sliver of light chuckles rang like crystal bells.

"Naruto, touch me..."

A delicate hand grabbed his to guide it to the pearl white skin of her breast.

"Sakura-chan." The blonde man breathed her name like a prayer from a devout.

She chuckled again, lifting her other hand to caress his whiskers. "Why do you think I dressed up like that if it wasn't for you?" Playful jade eyes sparkled as her hand sensually glided along his neck.

Naruto's gaze flickered, glancing at the temptation of her cleavage offered through the fine lace of her nightdress. He swallowed hard, the air around him heavy with desire for the pink haired beauty in front of him.

Her hand abandoned his on her breast and moved up to the strap, slowly pushing it to sultrily roll down her shoulder.

"Naruto, show me..." She murmured, bringing her lips close to his ears, her breath grazing his skin like a velvet touch. The corner of her lovely lips drawn up and her gaze undressed him as she straightened herself to look him in the eyes.

And the strap fell, uncovering her breast.

Neither of them moved, an imaginary clock ticking in their ears. Heady, like in a trance, they were spellbound, connected by an invisible link. The silence. The immobility. It was as if the world would cease to exist if they broke the magic of the moment.

Naruto was the first to shift, and she followed. Their bodies irrevocably attracted towards each other. Their lips met, savage and hungry. His fingers dove into her pink hair, getting lost in the silken locks while her arms latched around his neck with urgency. Their mouths devoured each other, their tongues battling furiously in a delirium of passion. More ferociously, she flushed her body to his as to melt into him, her soft curves crashing with fervor against the strong build of his muscular chest.

Warmth – Warmth all over. From the inside-out. Boiling to the point of madness.

His left hand caressed her nape and feverishly danced across her back, discovering each and every inch of her body, jealously keeping her close. Their breath mixed together as they separated for a second, their eyes hypnotized, blue and green swirling together in desire.

"Naruto, show me your love..." She whispered breathless.

And he did.

With all the love he could muster, he savored her, kissing, licking, caressing all of her. His fingers glided on her nightdress, the silk teasing his senses with its smoothness until they reached the bottom. Curling around the material, he clutched the fabric in his hand while his mouth traveled along her skin like a famished man. Slowly, as if asking for permission, he lifted the cloth, revealing her creamy white thighs. Soon the garment reached her crotch, disclosing unbearably sexy underwear with black flowers engraved on a fine transparent tulle, the side of it scalloped to hide and tease in perfect balance.

A low animalistic growl broke in the back of his throat, a burning lust scorching his veins. The need to tear the tiny piece of fabric off with his teeth was unbearable. The need of her. The need to become one with her. His hands possessively groped her hips while capturing her lips in an ardent kiss. The pink haired beauty moaned in his mouth, feeding the fire inside him and he tightened his grip on her to bring her impossibly close. He could feel his hardened manhood press against her belly and it drove him even more excited to share such a proximity. He wanted more, more of her. A bestial part of him madly wanted to bend her over and plunge into her. But this was Sakura, and there was no such behavior with her. She deserved care and tenderness.

So Naruto did what he thought was right. He relaxed his fingers to be more gentle and released her mouth to cover her with kisses. His lips, warm and swollen, traveled along the fine and delicate skin of her neck. He lingered longer on her collarbone, making her squirm under his sweet torture.

"Naruto..."

The way she was saying his name was utterly intoxicating. It carried so much emotion, her voice breaking on the last syllable as she writhed, her body animated by a will of its own. He could swear that the room temperature had risen a few degrees and that his blood had transformed into lava. Her left leg coiled around his waist like a vine and he wondered how long he could resist his desire as her nails scraped the skin of his bare back.

Sneaking a hand between their bodies, Naruto dared to gently rub a finger against the small bud of her femininity. Her back arched like under an electric wave, her petite form rising to crash against him with need, her breath escaping her lips in a gasp. Her whole body burned from an indescribable heat, her heart racing in her chest. One delicate hand plunged into his blond hair and pulled to force his head up to face her. He winced in pain but at the same time liked the sensation.

Her gaze was determined and feverish, her cheeks pink from excitation. "Naruto, love me now!"

The order left no room for argument, not that he would oppose her wish. His fingers snatched the side of her fine lingerie and smoothly pulled it down on her hips. She very willingly helped him, lowering her leg to make his task easier. Her nightdress fell back, following the unhurried descent of his hands down her thighs, like a curtain lowering on a stage play.

Naruto crouched down, accompanying the small fabric to her ankles, and looked up at her from below, a predatory grin stretching across his handsome features. Deliberately, his fingertips wound up teasingly slow, caressing her legs in the process until they disappeared under the silk of her nightdress.

He felt incredibly alive, his whole body aroused, each cell awake and his skin tickling all over. Scorching cerulean eyes stared at her with unbridled desire while his fingers reached her sacred womanhood. Sakura shivered and tightened her fist in his hair. He licked his lips in anticipation and inserted a finger into her wet cavern. It glided up and down. Up and down. Up and down. Up... it twisted. Her hold became firmer and his smile widened with satisfaction, not missing anything in her expression. It was intoxicating. The slight quiver of her thighs. The twitch of her face. The sound of her tormented breathing.

His other hand grabbed the bottom of her dress and lifted it up just enough for him to have a plain view of her sex. His eyes swung between her face and her womanhood, once, twice, never stopping the penetration with his finger, and then he leaned closer. His tongue darted in front of him and she immediately moaned. Her voice was like music to his ears and her taste was nectar from heaven. He wanted more, so much more.

Frantically, he stood up, his chin glistering with her fluid. He captured her lips with delirious passion while his free hand fumbled with his pants. Animated with the same hunger her hand ferociously pulled at his zip, and in less time than it took to blink, he found himself butt naked.

Gasping for air, they separated for a split second before they swept together again. He removed his finger from her vagina and she certainly would have complained if her mouth was free, but he didn't give her the opportunity. Already his powerful hands grasped her creamy thighs to help roll her legs around his waist. Without wasting an instant he guided his aroused member to her entrance, and with a seamless move, penetrated her.

"Naruto..."

It came like a plea, or was it a divine chant? And it sent a direct jolt to his groin. It was so erotic that he could have come just from her voice. Possessing and being possessed. There was no greater power and slavery.

"Naruto."

The voice changed and he noticed the strange sensation. His eyes fluttered open and he saw her face just above his. She was fully dressed, her hand shaking his shoulder to wake him up.

"Sa-Sakura-chan!" His face turned bright red at the memory of his dream and the fact that he was rock hard under the covers. Fortunately for him, the pillow he was hugging tightly covered his arousal. "W-What are you doing here?" He stuttered, panicked.

"I came to wake you up." She stated the obvious.

"Haha – Yeah – Thank you – I'm awake! Fully awake! Haha" Naruto blabbered franticly, his eyes rolling around in search of an escape, too aware of her presence and that she was the girl of his dreams. "You can – go, maybe."

Sakura straightened up and released a sigh. Another rejection. She turned around without a word, her heart was heavy in her chest ever since they left the hospital. Naruto had begun to call Ino 'Ino-chan', and he had barely talked to her, shutting himself in his bedroom after dinner. She had hoped to be a support for him. She had hoped he would confide in her. She had hoped that they would be close without Sasuke around. But it was worse, worse than ever. She couldn't even remember a day when Naruto had been so distant with her.

"I'm going to prepare breakfast," She announced before closing the door, not daring to glance at him and risk showing him her pain.

XXXXXXXXXX

Naruto found Sakura in the kitchen when he finally managed to get his penis to calm down after his erotic dream of said girl. He shook his head to chase away the far from innocent thoughts. He couldn't avoid her forever and the night hadn't quieted his desire as he hoped it would. On the contrary, his past fantasies had mixed up with the freshly discovered images of Sakura in a sexy nightdress with even more sexy panties underneath. There was no point in denying it, he was a pervert.

He rubbed the back of his head, searching for an excuse to justify his strange behavior ever since he came out from his session with Ino. But nothing came to mind. She saved him the trouble of having to start the conversation as she acknowledged his presence with a greeting, her eyes not leaving the fuming pot.

"Breakfast is nearly ready." She told him, taking it upon herself to sound as normal as possible even if she felt miserable.

"Ah? Good – What did you prepare? It smells good." He jumped at the opportunity offered to him to pass on the tricky explanation of why he acted so rudely to her.

"Ramen. Even if it's not as good as at Ichiraku, I thought you would like to eat it."

Ramen was a safe bet to please him. Ramen always worked in every situation: ramen to celebrate, ramen to mourn, ramen to pass time, ramen for almost anything. Naruto could eat ramen everyday without feeling tired of it and luckily she was feeling like eating ramen too, thanks to the small living thing growing in her belly.

"Ramen? For breakfast?"

"You loved ramen. You used to eat it anytime a day – if you don't want it, I can make something else if you'd prefer."

"No-No ramen is great! Ramen is the best!" Naruto cheerfully interjected.

A sad smile appeared on her lips as she let her pink bangs fall to hide her face. Naruto was still Naruto even if he wasn't her Naruto anymore. 'Regrets won't bring him back.'

"You should take a seat, I'll be there in a minute." She announced with a fake smile on her lips. 'Endure'. Ninja were taught to endure, and she was a full-fledged kunoichi after all. She put down the bowl in front of him and she noticed him observing her.

"Are you alright, Sakura-chan?" He didn't know her that well, but he could tell she seemed drained.

"Yeah – Of course!" She forced a smile, taken aback by his perceptiveness. Was she betraying herself? Did it show on her face? Though, she was quite sure to be in control, her inner persona dealing with her emotional turmoil.

Naturally, Naruto extended his hand, tracing with his thumb the lower contour of the dark circle under her eye. "You look tired." He told her, visibly concerned by her condition. It was innocent, at least he thought it was. But he couldn't stop himself from being mesmerized by the fascinating shade of green in her eyes.

She shuddered under his touch, her heart crazily thumping over his attention. She nearly melted like an ice-cream under the sun, warmed to the bones by the simple contact. His gentle blue eyes pierced straight to her soul and she wanted nothing more at that second than to jump into his embrace to find some comfort.

He shifted, his head towering above hers, his shoulders so large and his lips teasingly inviting just an inch away. A magnetism invaded the air, making it heavy. She couldn't tear her gaze from him and somehow, something in her gut whispered to her that it was the same for him. Reciprocating the gesture, she lifted her hand to touch his whiskers, slowly, timidly, afraid that he might disappear, afraid to be rejected again...

Her breath caught in her throat, expectantly caressing his cheeks. The skin was rough, she could feel the stubble against the flesh of her fingers. He hadn't shaved yet, giving him a sexy roguish appearance. Naruto was no longer the kid she knew; she had wasted so many years before admitting it to herself.

A shudder traveled along his spine, his senses going wild at her simple contact. Her hand was cold on his skin and it made her touch even more noticeable. He refrained from his need to swoop down and capture her in his arms. He desperately shut down his fantasies involving taking her forcefully over the dinner table. He couldn't. He shouldn't. His hand abandoned her face, wisely bringing it down to his side. He clenched his fist to keep his fingers from seeking anymore contact.

"Sorry."

"About what Naruto?" She asked, disappointed, already regretting the lost connection with his hand.

'For touching you – For wanting to be with you.' "Did you sleep well in your room? Do you need anything for you to be comfortable here?" He changed the subject, going back to safer ground, far from his unnecessary desires.

'I just need you.' She shook her head. "The room is perfectly fine, I just stayed up late to read some medical books. Don't worry about me, I'm a tough girl." She forced a proud grin.

"Ah – Well." He took a step back, putting some more distance between them. But he couldn't bring his eyes to stop looking at her. Her big jade pearls, her little nose and those lovely shaped lips...

Sakura was fed up with his escapes, with him always retreating every time they began to get closer. She gathered her courage, her heart throbbing madly in her chest before daring to push forward. "What do you think of me, Naruto?" She unconsciously licked her lips, looking at his face, his lips, hoping that the moment was right; hoping he wanted the same thing as her. She wanted him – so badly.

He jolted coming back to his senses, realizing he had let his mind wander again in an unwanted direction. Was he discovered? Did she notice his craving for her? This was bad.

"What do you mean?" He played dumb, or maybe he wasn't playing. He was dumb.

"I mean, what am I to you? How do you see me?" She insisted, not letting him run away.

He had to say something, anything. His eyes swung from right to left, some sweat dripping down his forehead in panic. He was done. What could she be? He caught sight of the food steaming on the countertop.

"You're – You're like a Mom!" He blurted, without thinking, the first sweet, caring, gentle, and totally asexual thing that popped into his head.

"A Mom?" Sakura repeated, surprised, not wanting to believe he could say something like that in such a moment.

"Yeah – haha." He laughed, embarrassed. "Ya know, you have this maternal way to take care of people..." Naruto trailed off, searching for a justification.

She frowned. She didn't want to be a mother to him – the mother of his children, yes. But not his mother. "Baka." She spurted out of habit in her growing frustration.

Resting his hands on his hips, Naruto defended himself. "Hey! Don't be like Sasuke, calling me Dobe or Usuratonkachi. I'm not an idiot. I – I just can't remember, dattebayo!"

His face was cringed in an outraged expression and Sakura chuckled at his outburst, her anger deflated in his familiar reaction. "Sorry Naruto, Baka is more like pet name; there's nothing belittling in it." 'Even if you deserve it sometimes.'

"This team has a problem with nicknames. Sai, Sasuke, and you too. " He pouted, looking away in fake indignation, only making her giggle more. He loved it. He loved the sound of her laugh. Naruto cautiously glanced at her and saw her green obs sparkling with amusement.

"Sorry Naruto, maybe I should call you Honey like Tsunade-Shishou?" Sakura offered, sensually uttering the Honey, trying again to get closer and suggest more.

Naruto swallowed a lump in his throat. He would actually like for her to call him so intimately, but it wasn't good, it couldn't be good. "Nope – keep doing as usual. Ya know, for the memory of it and all." He refused, a light tinge of pink on his cheeks and his heart beating a little too fast for his peace of mind.

She sighed at his plain rejection. She knew she was bad at the seduction game, Ino had made fun of her enough to be certain of that. But how much can a man change without his memories? Could his tastes be so different as to find her repulsive when she tried to seduce to him?

The heart can change. Wasn't she the best example, after all?

 **THANK YOU FOR REVIEWING!**

 **YOUR OPINION AND PRESENCE MATTER A LOT TO ME!**


	23. Chapter 23

**_THANKS TO EKATARINA016 AND GINA TSUKIKO FOR BETA READING THE CHAPTER_**

 _Jani Beccharelli: If I lose them, I lose them. I'm not gonna rewrite the story anyway. So If I lose everyone, I will just stop publishing it. What else to do? Thank you for sharing with me your thoughts. I hope you will stick around to see what was the point of it. The story is about Naruto remembering and falling in love again with Sakura. I wish you could appreciate the development of their feelings, their slow blossoming and all. I'm maybe a strange fellow, but often while travelling, I like to enjoy the journey than simply just the destination._

 _Har:Yeah I make a point at bringing them to the edge. Let them struggles. Let them explore the deph of their emotions. Let their love blossom and conquiert it all until it become unavoidable…. Thank you for being here_

 _Maxslayer10: Sakura didn't even need to be seductive to have Naruto at her feet. As I said in the PM it is the previous chapter for Hanabi noticing Sakura pregnancy, even if she don't know who is the father._

 _Aewina-chwan: Super Mega Big Hug!_ _Heureusement que j'ai publié à temps mercredi. Je n'aurais pas voulu te decevoir au reveil. (dire que j'ai failli reporté la publication au lendemain et par acquis de conscience, je me suis botté le derriere et j'ai fait mon job entre 2 tartines avalés sur le pouce). Sai est simplement un personnage fantastique, au niveau comique il est superbe, mais en meme temps il peut avir quelques aspects profonds. Dans mon plan original, j'avais prevu de developper davantage sa relation avec sasuke, mais bon j'ai coupé les chapitres pour en finir plus vite, j'avoue). Sasuke est extremement complexe. Je ne veux pas le depeindre uniquement dans sa noiceur. C'est pour ça qu'il est un enfoiré la plupart du temps, mais qu'il a en silence une personnalité torturé, voir un soupçon de tendresse qu'il n'exprime que pour naruto (qui est l'unique membre de sa famille maintenant). Pour le reve de Naruto, il peut facilement imaginé la petite culotte se Sakura vu qu'il l'a surprise a seché sur le fil a linge. Et Sakura… eh oui, elle s'en prend plein la gueule "Karma is a bitch". La scene où Naruto la touche etait justement là pour montrer a quel point il y avait des choses où il ne pouvait pas se retenir (comme la consoler ou la proteger). Je suis contente que tu ai apprecié et vu la preuve d'amour que cette scene suggere. Je ne sais pas si tu as d'autres manga que tu aime, mais j'ai ecris en français sur "skip beat" et sur "lady oscar", sinon tu as toujours la fin de "how I fell in love…" a finir ;) MERCI MILLE FOIS POUR TON SOUTIEN_

 _Guest: Thank you! If you keep being here, I will keep updating!_

 _YeagerMeister31:I am glad you liked the dream. Thank you for your support_

 _Donthedardragon26: I guess that my chapter are not so far from the 5K per chapter, some might even turn around 8K… The slow burn is to make them arrive to the boiling point. Enjoy the journey and not only the destination. Thank you for sharing with me your thoughts. I am so glad to know them._

 _Sinedd662: The dream is a good way to make him boil, and the mother thing was the safest way he could call her without revealing that he was completely head over heel for her. Thank you for your support_

 _HeliosBlaze:No worry at some point I will find a way to amend for all the breaking. Until then enjoy the slow burn. Their pain is real and it make their emotions more intense and raw. Thank you for being here. I hope you will continue to like it._

 _Alphadark19: It is building up. Slowly but surely. Naruto is falling all over again for Sakura. He don't even need his memories for that. Witness the changes in attitude, the thoughs, the way he look at her. Enjoy the small details that betray how before he did the same things to hide his infatuation for her. Endure with them until it will be revealed. Thank you for being here. I hope you will like it._

 _Phhsdj: so close but not there yet… be patient and appreciate the evolution. Thank you for your support_

 _Yojimbra: I am truly wondering what type of human you are. Can't you even say one nice thing sometime? The only thing I see from you is anger and hurtful words. This website is free. Free for the author to publish and free for the reader to read. I don't earn anything from it and you are not forced to read if you don't like it. There is absolutely no point in being mean. If your objectif is to make me give up on writing, spare your efforts. I won't write for a while after this story (maybe ever). People like you have managed to make me hate writing. So there won't be any "concurrence" on my part (even if there never had been in the first place as our writing is so different that we don't attract the same public)._

 _Eight heroes: Thank you for your constant support. I truly appreciate it_

 _blueZ44: Thank you! I hope you will continue to like it._

 _HITMANN0569: So close and so far at the same time. Many time in human relationship it just hold at a thread that a situation is solved or keep rotting. Thank you for being here! Big hugs!_

 _Aqua Rules: Welcome back! Indeed, Not many survived Sasuke's wrath. For Naruto and Sakura, it will keep being messy for few more chapter, just enjoy their inner turmoil before I make life better for them. Thank you for being here. It is always nice to see that you are still following._

 _Joey91731: Both Sasuke and Sai consider Naruto their best friend / brother. For Sakura, she will suffer a bit more. For "How I fell in love…" the story is finished and I won't write a sequel to it anytime soon. As I told earlier, I am quitting on writing. I would need a miracle to motivate me to go through such a trouble again. Thank you for your support. How is your writing going?_

 _Elarmi: Welcome back! I am glad that you are still here with us. I hope you will continue to like the story. Thanks_

 _NoName: He can't just jump her (she is supposedly pregnant from his best friend). First let me do something about this best friend of his… and then we will talk ;) But for now let them suffer more. Thank you for being here. I hope you will be here again._

 _Katus293: Patience! All will come in its right time… kiss and more ;) Enjoy the development. Thank you for your support._

 _JakeTheRipper02: Thank you! I hope you will continue to like it._

 _Slasher: Thank you! Please continue to be here!_

 _Tenten1001: Thanks for your review ;) I appreciate you being here._

 _RSfan: Yeah through Sai and Sasuke I give clues about the mysteriousinvisible enemy. And as Naruto become more and more Naruto, he fall in love more and more with Sakura. Thought this chapter is more to give us information about what is happening, I hope you will still like it. Thank you for being here!_

 ** _C_** ** _hap 22: Not Everything Goes as Planned._**

The doorbell rang, interrupting their breakfast. Naruto looked up from his ramen bowl, his mouth filled to the brim with food, and Sakura invited him to continue on with his meal, standing to open the door. Her slender figure disappeared down the corridor and he vaguely made out her muttering about unwanted visitors who have no shame and no respect for people's peace of mind.

Her hand firmly gripped the knob, ready for a fight and swung the door open, imagining she would find one of Naruto or Sasuke's fangirls, or worse, Ino-pig. However, Sakura blinked at the unexpected sight, her mood drastically improving just at the fact that the visitor was no girl.

"Ah? Konohamaru, good morning. What are you doing here so early?"

"Good Morning Sakura-san, I came back yesterday from my mission and I wanted to visit Naruto-niisan. He was discharged, ne?"

"Yeah, come in, he is finishing his breakfast in the kitchen."

"Sorry for the intrusion."

Naruto glanced curious at the newcomer while continuing to slurp his noodles.

"Good morning, Naruto-niisan!"

 _'Nii-san?'_ The blond stopped eating, examining the guy – a teen with a blue scarf, brown hair – who looked nothing like him. _'Does he take after our mother?'_

At the silent stare Naruto was giving, Konohamaru realized that there was still no improvement to Naruto's memories.

"Oh, yeah, sorry! You don't remember me; Sakura-san told me at the hospital before I left for my mission." The teen bowed his head. "My name is Konohamaru Sarutobi, please take care of me."

"Konoha...maru." The corner of Naruto's mouth twitched while repeating the name. ' _Our parents named him after the village. I see he was not spared. I got the name of a fishcake and he got the village's name... Wait! Sarutobi?!'_

"Um...? You're not an Uzumaki or Namikaze?" The blonde questioned out loud.

The younger man scratched his cheek, blushing slightly. "We're not related. You're an only child, like me. You're my friend... and my rival?"

 _'Ah, true! They told me my parents died just after my birth, he couldn't be my brother.'_

"Rival?" Naruto then tilted his head in confusion. ' _On what do I compete with a brat?'_

Konohamaru nodded proudly. "We're rivals for becoming Hokage!"

The blond choked on his saliva at the bold affirmation of the teen and was sure that if he would have been eating, some noodles would have come out of his nose. He could imagine himself chasing after Sasuke as a rival, but a little boy...

Sakura snickered at the back and came forward, ruffling the shorter boy's head. "Naruto's already nominated as our future Hokage. Don't you want to say that he is your role model instead?" She corrected the teen teasingly.

"Yeah! I'll be the next Hokage after him!" Konohamaru mumbled, crossing his arms in front of his chest, his cheeks sporting a pinkish color.

"Please take a seat! Did you have your breakfast already or do you want some with us?" Sakura offered as she pulled a chair out for the younger shinobi.

Konohamaru took a look at the content of their bowls and crunched his face in disgust. "Ramen in the morning? No, thanks! And I've already eaten anyway. "

Naruto grabbed his bowl in between his hands and drank the broth in one go , finishing with a sigh of satisfaction. "You don't know what you're missing! Ramen is the Gods' food!" Naruto affirmed.

Sakura smiled nostalgic, serving a second bowl of ramen for Naruto and taking her place at his side to eat her breakfast.

"So, how have you been doing?" Konohamaru questioned.

It was still strange to be addressed so casually by strangers, but there was no helping it as long as he didn't recover his memories. "I'm good, I guess." Naruto glanced at his caretaker, searching for a sign from Sakura of what he could disclose, her silence encouraging him to continue. "I've been training with Sasuke and Sakura-chan."

"Training? You're not under medical care?" The younger man asked.

The blond scratched his head in embarrassment. "Hahaha... so you know about that too. Yeah, I am! But I'm training as well."

Konohamaru punched his own hand in determination. "Yosh! I'm gonna help you with your training too! I'm gonna teach you a powerful jutsu you taught me specifically!"

"Really?" The blond got interested.

"An exclusive jutsu that very few shinobi know. A justu that can change the tide in a battle!" The brown haired teen added very proudly.

Sakura nodded in approval. ' _Rasengan is definitely one of Naruto's signature jutsu, and there's nobody better than Konohamaru to teach him that!'_

"Let's do it! Let's do it now!" Naruto enthusiastically shouted, slamming his hands on the table while standing up in a jolt, not missing any opportunity to become stronger.

"You should finish your breakfast first! You need your energy." Sakura suggested, unfazed by the sudden outburst. It was so like Naruto to get over excited and forget what he was previously doing.

Naruto looked down at the steaming bowl in front of him and sheepishly laughed, rubbing the back of his head in embarrassment. "Ah, yeah, ramen comes first."

In under a couple of minutes, Naruto gobbled up his meal and went up to shower, shave, and dress for the day. Meanwhile, Sakura stayed behind with Konohamaru to clean up the kitchen. The teen glanced over his shoulder to make sure they couldn't be overheard.

"So, what's the situation, exactly? Was there any improvement?" The brown haired boy asked.

Sakura plunged the plate into the water. "He's starting to remember." She confided. Konohamaru smiled, but his joyfulness faltered as he met the lifeless expression in her eyes. That wasn't all there was to it, so he let her continue without interrupting.

"His body can withstand shinobi training. I think he can more or less access his chakra. We still don't know if he can use Kurama's as we stayed on a basic level for now, but what is worrisome is the instability in his chakra network in his brain. It was disrupted once, and it can happen again at any time. We don't know what can trigger it, so Naruto has to be monitored every hour of the day."

"Is he in danger?"

"It's hard to say. As long as a medic-nin can provide assistance to bring him back to consciousness, it shouldn't pose any real danger. But... we don't know for sure. I searched every medical book I could, I went to the great archives, and not even one talk about a similar case." She admitted, defeated, the plate in her hand breaking under the pressure of her fingers. She hated feeling useless.

"Sakura-san..." Konohamaru murmured, feeling sorry to lack better words to console the woman in front of him. He came closer and grabbed her hands to remove the shards of porcelain from her flesh.

The red blood pouring out of the cuts contrasted with her pearly skin. Self-conscious to avoid appearing weak, Sakura brushed away his concern, hastily rinsing her hands under the flow of water to wash the blood off before healing the small cuts.

"It's nothing – nothing at all." She mumbled, internally cursing her freewheeling hormones and her sudden urge to cry.

"I'm sure nii-san will overcome it." The teen tried to sound hopeful.

The head medic turned, shooting a furious glare, her eyes dangerously glistening with tears. "I know he will! I know! There is no way he won't. It's just-It's..." Her voice trembled.

"I understand. It pains me too when he looked at me as if we didn't know each other." Konohamaru passed his hand through his unruly brown hair, regretting that he stopped wearing his goggles as he grew up and wishing he could hide his eyes behind them. He too wanted to cry. Naruto was more than a friend or a model. Naruto was his family. "I understand..."

Sakura straightened up, plunging the last dish in the water. "All we can do is support him." She forced a smile, her soul shattering in silence. "For once, it's our turn to help him."

"You can count on me. I'll do my best to help him recover his memories." Konohamaru flashed a thumbs up, a discreet tear escaping from the corner of his left eye.

Not wasting more time, the group left to the training ground immediately once Naruto was ready. Sakura chose a field slightly separated from the other training grounds to avoid unwanted attention. They've been using this strategy since their first encounter with one of Naruto's fangirls to stay out of the public's eyes.

With a stern expression, Konohamaru took position in front of his blond friend to demonstrate the jutsu. "Get ready, Naruto-niisan!"

Naruto nodded, all his attention directed towards the brown haired boy, and Sakura smiled tenderly at her boyfriend's eagerness to learn.

The atmosphere was heavy, the sound of the forest surrounded them like a heavy curtain, adding some privacy. The teen smirked, clapping his hands, his fingers in position to control his chakra.

"Sexy Jutsu!" He announced.

A superb brunette, naked, her private parts carefully hidden by clouds of smoke, appeared in his stead. The blond admitted to himself that the naked girl was attractive, but the Sakura in his fantasies was way hotter. He didn't get more time to appreciate the vision, as in a mere blink of an eye, a monstrous punch crashed against the apparition, accompanied with a scream.

"SHANAROOO!"

The teen flew 237 meters away from the impact in a perfect parabola high in the sky. Naruto's eyes followed the trajectory of the boy's body, and then glanced at the pinkette who was dusting her hands in satisfaction.

Green orbs flashed toward him, scrutinizing him intently. The blond stiffened, swallowing his saliva with difficulty in fear of her wrath. The corner of her lips lifted up, her gaze softening. To his credit, Naruto didn't move and showed no sign of direct interest for the jutsu.

' _Maybe he lost his perverted side when he lost his memories_ ,' she wondered.

Sakura placed a lose curl behind her ear and shyly smiled at her amnesiac boyfriend as if she hadn't just demonstrated an insane amount of brute force few seconds ago. "Don't worry, Naruto, this isn't your training. Konohamaru was just fooling around and needed a little reminder. He will be back in a moment and we will move on to the real deal."

Konohamaru came back with a big bump on his head. Angry, he loudly stomped through the field. He stopped just in front of the kunoichi, his glare ferocious."Why you...?!" He ground his teeth in furor, exhibiting a broken tooth.

Sakura harumphed, crossing her arms in front of her chest, not impressed by the boy's ire. "You dare to ask? Why are you teaching him such an inappropriate thing!" She scolded him.

"What are you saying? This jutsu is Naruto-niisan's creation! There is no jutsu more appropriate to trigger his memories than this jutsu. And it's not any basic jutsu! This jutsu has won over more than one opponent. Naruto-niisan even defeated the great Third Hokage, my grandfather, with it."

Sakura's glare darkened dangerously in opposition. She cracked her knuckles threateningly and the teen cowered behind the blonde man. "Show him this stupid jutsu again and you're dead meat." She hissed in low growl.

"Yes, ma'am!" Konohamaru promised, the hair at the back of his neck standing straight. Sakura was a thousand times more intimidating than Moegi. ' _No wonder Naruto-nii always tells me to not anger her.'_

She stood with her hands on her hips, her face towering above the teen. "Be useful! Teach him the Rasegan!" She commanded sternly, her glare losing nothing from its ferociousness.

"Yes, ma'am!" The brown haired ninja yelped like a frightened puppy, vigorously nodding his head.

XXXXXXXXXX

Blood was falling from the sky like rain, cries and wails accompanying it with ominous echoes from all sides. There were no signs of gods in this theater of slaughter. They arrived too late, far too late, to prevent the drama from happening. It should have been just a village like any other, it should. He tightened his fist, eyes wide, suffocating under the heavy smoke of the burning village.

Metallic clangs, crashes, screams, blood...more blood.

There was something terrifying in the spectacle, something that shook him to the core in the deepest part of his being in this space displaying the visions of hell.

The warm red liquid splashed on his face, freezing him to the bone, pushing him into his nightmare where his past traumas whispered in his ears. The wind carried the polluted smog, dancing on his skin, eroding it to ashes. His mind was numb, poisoned by voices who no longer existed and images buried under the weight of his sins. He would have disappeared into nothingness without a fight if it weren't for the shadow standing in front of him. The tall figure was menacing, staring at him with his piercing red eyes, eyes that he bore himself. He didn't need anything more to thwart the abominable scheme of his own mind. He knew all too well that Itachi was already dead.

He killed him himself.

Snapping out of the illusion, Sasuke returned to the morbid picture of the burning village. Sai was already in the middle of it, incessantly drawing beasts to split up the groups of men who tried to murder each other. From his spot, the Uchiha heir witnessed a strange occurrence. He saw the scene as a wave, growing and growing ever more. More blood was spilled and more people turned violent. They were becoming monsters, living corpses driven by blood lust. Not a soul was spared, anyone who could stand went into rampage.

They were killing each other with a ferocity worse than demons. A man was pulling the hair of another man, smashing his head against a wall. The sound of cracking bones faded into the general din of the massacre, while blood colored the white surface with red jets. A little further, a woman was roaring with fury, slashing knife through the torso of a man, rending him into a pile of flesh and guts. They were not stopping even when death was evident. There was the same expression on their faces: a mask of utter horror. Wide, bloodshot eyes were staring at their victims, their features deformed into torturous grimaces while they did their deeds.

Were they unwilling puppets?

With his red eyes scanning the area, Sasuke tried to search for the cause. Was it the blood? Was it the smoke? Was there a mastermind, or had the whole population just turned berserk for no reason? It was hard to tell in the middle of this mess. There was no beginning, no end. The place was just the antechamber to purgatory, full of god-forsaken souls.

His katana securely strapped to his back, the former rogue ninja walked into the crowd. His first priority was to keep the civilians unarmed as he tried to stop the bloodshed peacefully. But soon, he understood that it was a vain ideal. The villagers were blind, their souls already unreachable, nothing left of their humanity.

Their surroundings were ablaze, flames voraciously licking the walls of houses, climbing up to the roofs as if to stretch to the sky. The blazing light danced like malevolent spirits, casting ominous shadows on the villager's faces. It should have been hot, scorching, but strangely the atmosphere felt icy cold. It was as if all the life and energy had been sucked out, although the pain remained. The fire devoured everything in it's way, leaving charcoal and burnt cadavers behind it.

For a while, the clang of metal rang like a church's bell. Everywhere, more and more, cries rose like a morbid choir. There was no angel, no priest, and no forgiveness. In a sort of bubble out of time, ghoulish madness encompassed everything.

Jumping away from a blow, Sasuke landed on a high branch above his aggressor and observed the scene below. A gust of wind chased the smoke in his direction and the former rogue coughed into his hand. He felt dizzy and drained of energy. Below, the massacre was continuing and he had no other choice than to intervene again.

The sound around him was muffled, and he tottered for a split second after throwing his two opponents in opposite directions. Sasuke felt like his head was splitting apart, an excruciating pain writhing in his brain. His vision was blurred, and only an urge to destroy coursed through his body as a pickax plunged into his back. His muscles burned and the scene before him distorted. He would have to kill, truly, he would, if it weren't for the vision of the man in front of him.

 _Itachi._

He felt like falling to his knees, his legs wobbling, bloody tears running from his eyes. He was already in hell. There was no coming back from his curse; he always knew it deep down in his heart. No way to absolve his sins. Itachi was his burden – and his safeguard. There, in the back of his consciousness, his big brother still laying low, never really disappearing.

A small smirk stretched on the Uchiha's lips. If it weren't for Itachi, he would have lost it. He would have succumbed to whatever trick his mind was in, falling into insanity. Sasuke repressed his urge to kill and closed his eyes, concentrating his chakra to dispel the possible genjutsu. His body trembled from head to toe, but the same suffocating miasma remained as he reopened his eyes.

 _'No genjutsu?'_

He had no other choice. Sasuke pushed more chakra into his eyes and transported himself to a safer location, out of the smoke or whatever was affecting him, up an hill outside the village. The world was still unsteady when he arrived, his mind not completely clear, but the air was more breathable. What happened back there? Had he been intoxicated?

He pressed his hand to his shoulder and winced in pain at the contact. How had he managed to not feel such damage until now? Had he been disconnected from his body? Was it why the villagers were able to fight even as living corpses? Thinking about the villagers, he remembered another annoying fact. If he had been affected by whatever was there, it was highly possible that his escort was too. If Sai died, not that he cared for the artist's life, but he would not be able to come back in the village and keep his promise to Naruto.

Sasuke growled, irritated. The village down below looked like it was consumed in a blaze, the bright flames contrasting with the darkness of the night. There was no helping it; he had to retrieve Sai. His fist tightened around the handle of his katana and unsheathed it with grace born from years of practice. He raised his choker to filter the air in case it was the cause of his dementia and focused his chakra again to teleport into the pit of hell.

The former rogue ninja easily found his partner, and as expected, the man hadn't been spared by the mystic phenomenon touching the village. But instead of fighting back and trying to kill everything around him the figure was apathetic, hunched, crouching on the ground with his head in his hands. Like him, Sai had been crying. What was his vision? Did he, too, have his own demon tormenting him?

There was no time for all these questions; Sasuke needed to pull him out of his torpidity. Even if the artist was numb to the blows he was receiving from the violent villagers, the wounds were still there.

Jumping in the middle of the mob, Sasuke swung his blade in two perfect half-circles to repel their attackers. His free arm latched around the thin waist of the pale shinobi. The man was slack, his arms and legs limp, his gaze hollow. Cuts and bruises already covered his body, but it didn't seem to bother him.

The assault continued with a new vigor, and Sasuke imbued his Chidori into the blade of his katana, furiously swinging from side to side to keep the assailants at a distance. It was a futile attempt; the crowd kept coming, insensitive to the pain, driven by a silent command to kill.

Something around them was poisonous, controlling the townsfolk, making them lose their minds. His Sharingan activated, Sasuke avoided blow after blow with incredible velocity, carrying his unresponsive partner against his chest.

The Uchiha heir faltered, losing his footing and stumbling forward. A kitchen knife embedded itself in his ribs, just avoiding his lungs. It would have been a fatal wound if it had been just a few centimeters higher. Recovering from the shock, Sasuke spun on his heel, his movements still nimble and his spine as flexible as a cat. Adrenaline rushed through his veins, blood pumping crazily and his body curved in an arc, taking his charge with him. He swung through the air in a back flip, kicking his aggressor in the face, sending him flying a good distance.

Landing back on the ground, Sasuke recovered his footing. His gaze was clouded as if in a mist again and he recognized the first symptom of the poison. How best to fight an immaterial enemy? What was the cause? How to undo the illusion? His glare searched around, scanning the crowd for the familiar figure of his deceased brother. All around him stood a sea of unknown faces mixing with the same terrified gaze.

Victims. They were all victims.

Blood, screams, and pain formed a singular symphony orchestrated in this hideous theater. In the background, his eyes caught the dark figure, his long black hair held in a ponytail, his tall form covered in his Akatsuki coat. Itachi's ghost was standing still near a shadow. Was it just a coincidence?

Pain-like screws stabbed his brain, and the lone Uchiha survivor had to squint very hard to see the shape of the figure. He knew that face. It was one of the snot-nosed brats from the fort. The kid was standing like a silent onlooker, apparently unaffected by the general madness. It was the same brat, however his eyes were different, glowing with a dark shade and almost entirely black as if colored in ink.

It couldn't be a coincidence; there had to be a link between his presence and the irrational chaos. Maybe if he got a hold of the boy, he could stop the carnage. It was their only chance as it could lead to the roots of the whole ordeal.

With a swift move, the Uchiha heir evaded the rabble, jumping between the flames on the rooftops. The violence didn't stop as he disappeared from his spot, the people just started killing each other again instead.

With his target locked in his line of vision, he made a last leap to arrive at his level. The boy stood immobile in front of him, neither surprised or scared. His completely black orbs looked like an endless, deep, dark hole.

Why were his legs shaking?

Those black eyes, as dark as a bottomless pit with no life, fixed themselves on him. Sasuke gasped, petrified. His heart raced, madly crashing against his rib cage. He was suffocating; cold creeping as icy trails over his skin. He wanted to scream but his voice was quelled as if a cloth were stuffed down his throat. He wanted to escape but his limbs were frozen. His vision became darker, whittling down on all sides.

Soon, all light would be gone... Would he disappear into nothingness? Would it be enough to atone for his sins?

He darted a glance to the side. Itachi was still here, his gaze unreadable. The tall figure didn't move, not saying a word. Just those eyes were enough – his own eyes. It would never be a sufficient repentance. He had to do more, and he remembered his promise. He promised Naruto to come back. He couldn't die yet... Not yet!

Concentrating his last resources into his Rinnengan, Sasuke created an irregularity in the current time-space plane. The surge of chakra blinded him for a split second, all the energy around him vibrating in a hazardous frequency. As he came back to his senses, his body was free from the abnormal phenomenon but the boy had vanished, leaving behind a pile of ashes and a dark contour of his previous form on the wall. The brat disappeared as if he self-combusted.

As he caught his breath, Sasuke intensely searched for any trace of the boy or one of his acolytes. Nothing. He pondered which strategy to adopt. How to prevent the villagers from killing each other? Could he move them all out of this place? Or would he risk spreading it like an infection?

In his current state he could produce twelve clones at most, not enough to save everyone, and who knew if the survivors would snap out of their killing condition. Should he prevent more damage by barricading the surroundings to prevent them from slaughtering other villages?

Should he condemn them to an ineluctable death?

The choice weighed heavily on his consciousness. Kakashi mentioned to kill if needed, but he hadn't really considered this option until now. Could he really do nothing for them? Was all hope already lost?

Sasuke's eyes stopped on the face of the townsfolk, contorted in a horrible grimace. The man was covered in blood as if he had bathed in it, his shirt painted in a mix of dark soot and red stains. A severed head was dangling helplessly from the roots of its hair in the man's hand, the mutilated body abandoned at his feet. The Konoha shinobi turned his head, scanning the area just to be greeted with similarly sickening sights. It was too late to save them. The quarantine was the most logical course of action, but...

Naruto wouldn't abandon anyone.

So he, too, would do whatever he could, whatever the means. One by one if needed, he would not abandon a single person. With a hand sign, twelve identical copies of himself popped into life, and in a gust of wind, all of them spread in all directions in an ultimate attempt to relocate the victims out of this nightmare.

Then Sasuke glanced at his lanky companion still limply dangling in his arm. He needed to put Sai out of it too, so he disappeared with a blur to the same hill he retreated to first to overcome the psychotic effect of the village. He didn't have the time to put the former ROOT agent down as the whole village was covered by a dome, and completely engulfed in, an invisible mist.

Suddenly, all the cries stopped, the whistles and the clangs of metal subsided into a terrible silence. In a split second, all life was gone like it had been sucked up into a vortex of nothingness. Nothing was left. Nothing... Only the fire continued to devour the walls of the village.

 _'What the hell happened?'_

His eyes widened in realization.

They had all died at once.

 _'Tsk! Not even one...'_

The lone Uchiha survivor gritted his teeth, tightening his hold on the artist, and walked away without turning back. He walked away without a second glance. Not due to a lack of remorse, but in shame of his own failure.

 **Is the publishing too fast? Should I slow down? Some people have disapeared.. Have you given up or do you need more time to read the chapter?**

 **PLEASE REVIEWS…**


	24. Chapter 24

**_THANKS TO GINA TSUKIKO FOR BETA READING THE CHAPTER_**

 _Mangafreak1997: You sometime need so little to make it work or to make it fail. Thank you for your support_

 _Damien 1267: Thank you! Welcome here!_

 _Yojimbra: Amazing… You are still here! If you hate it so much what are you doing still here?_

 _Alphadark19: I was thinking that 1 week was too fast for people to read it. I will keep up the pace though. Thank you for being here._

 _BlindSaya: There is 31 chapters (31 being the number written at the beginning of the chapter). I cut through many chapters to make it shorter. And there won't be any chapters or stories after that. So enjoy the chapters, the development of the charcters, their struggles… Don't rush things! It is my last and I hope you will like it to the end. Thank you for being here._

 _Guest: Thanks_

 _Guest: Good to know that the pace is fine. Thanks_

 _BasicallyaDino: It is good to know that you enjoy this story before spitting on me on the rest of your message. Thank you at least to have mention it and appreciate my hard work. I will be honest: I took offense in your words. You don't understand my demand for review and I don't understand your reluctance at giving some when you read and enjoy my work. Like that we are two people who can't understand each other. I am the only one owning my work. Naruto is Kishimoto. But thoses stories are mine. Not yours or any readers. I work for free, and somehow I have to find some satisfaction for my deep investment. (just to give you an order of idea, I worked for one full year on this story. Sleeping with my laptop near my pillow because I wrote until exhaustion, skipped my food to stay writing, shut down my friends and I don't talk about all the rest. I sacrificed all of my free time to it and I am deeply emotionally attached to it now). Using the word "distastful" is really untactful. Who are you to judge me? You come now like an avenger for all the silent readers, scolding me and giving me a piece of your morale. But where were you until now if you liked my work? I didn't see you supporting me. Silent readers have no right to complain if an author quit or erase his/her work. I have no interest in my silent readers. They can read it or not that I don't care. If I keep publishing it is only for the kind ones that share with me their thoughts about the chapter, greet me or thanks me. You think that readers have all the rights and no duty because they are emotionally invested in a story that they took 15 to 30 minutes to read? I wrote each chapter in about 2 weeks in between my busy schedule + post production time on each chapter. How much do you think a writer is invested in his/her story?_

 _About abandonned stories with over 1000 reviews. I have myself stories with over a 1000 reviews that I abandonned with people asking for update as you say. I will tell you what I think about it. I stopped writing them because at some point in my life I couldn't write anymore (life don't always allow you to do what you want sometime) and passed a certain time, the stories went out of my head. If I write it is in one-go(So I better get motivation and support while doing so to work more and faster during this momentum). If I stop, the story is lost. But don't be afraid for this one. I have writen it down until the last word. We are with my beta reader doing the post production work. However, trust me when I say I prefer to not share it than to share it with people who insult me or are unkind to me. **Asking for review is unappelling for you. Fine! Not receiving review is unappealling for me. So what do we do? I shut my mouth and stop publishing** or I remind people that if they don't show up I will lose interest in sharing my work? _

_Those that read and turn away, let them turn away. I did turn away on many stories that I lost interest in reading. This is also why I ask people to at least say "Hi" if they read. As you could have liked something until a certain point and then not like it. And I asked if the pace was too fast or if they lost interest, not about the decline of the readers! Those that I have with me, I treasure them, and they are the only one who matter._

 _Writing fic is HARD WORK! Entretainement for me is in sharing it. If I have no entertainment with the people that read it. I don't have to do it, isn't it? People are frustrated? Because this story is not the right for them. If they search only smut, this story is a psychological and love (not only sex) story. Thank you for thanking me at the end of your message. Now let me tell you a short story:_

 ** _Imagine a woman cooking with love and care a dinner. It is not a five star hotel dinner but it is home-made and cooked with love. She love cooking indeed and sharing her meal with people. So she open the door of her house and people come in. Those people wear a blank mask. They are unrecognizeable and their emotion is unreadable. They just eat and leave. She can't know if her food that she prepared with so much effort were appreciated. So she begin to greet the people, but no return came. No greeting and no thanks. Then she asked for the people about the opinion about the food. Here again she met only silence. So she thought of closing her door and stop cooking. Why would she give up her time and her best efforts for people who don't even greet her. As if it was too hard to greet someone who give you kindness. I don't know how you've been educated, but my mom used to tell me, "say thank you when someone do something nice to you"._**

 ** _In her attempt to not close her door without trying her best. She tried to reach for them again. But instead of receiving kindness when she asked to the people for a word, they spitted on her, telling her that she shouldn't ask_. ****_Why would she cook for people who are unkind to her? Would you do it? Would you keep working on all your free time for people who treat you poorly? Would you share your meal with them?_**

 ** _However some people began to take off their mask and talk to her. For those, she decided to continue. Only for those! If she could, she would close her door and just keep those nice people with her and treat them as friends. There is nothing better than sharing a meal with dear people._**

 _So to summarize my thought If you think that what you do is right. Keep doing it. But just for information, you hurt my feelings so much that I wanted to close my account(if it wasn't for the other nice people here, I would have done it). Why would I have to bear insults? If you think I am wrong. Fine! But sometime before calling people "distastful" try to put yoursel in their shoes one minute. For me and for all the writers that you like the work, if you read, review. It is just basic kindness. If you don't do it, don't complain if the authors quit. I am sorry if I have sound rude to you or if I have hurt your feeling. My objective was simply to explain to you my perspective and not to do any harm, in hope, if not for me, that you will be at least kind to other author that give so much to their reader (you can't imagine how much authors work for free here)._

 _Narusakufanficfan1: Thank you! I am glad that you liked this moment._

 _Katus293: I am so glad that you understand my thought! I could shut down this story with "the happy ever after" at any moment. But there is no point and it was not the purpose of this story. You don't have to give me de detailled review if you don't feel like it. You can just say "Hi" or tell me if you liked it. I don't ask for more. I want just to know if you are still around. (I can't see you from behind my screen_ _J_ _). Sorry for the long delay before. I didn't want to update faster before as I wasn't sure I would not have a big gap afterward in releasing the chapters if I got stuck with my real life. Now I am mostly doing the post production so the release can be faster. Thank you for your support. I truly appreciate._

 _Random-Gaurdian: Thank you! I hope you will like the chapter._

 _Sinedd662: Thank you for your support! I am glad that you like this story even if it is sometime agains your personal view of the characters. I appreciate your open mindest. Thanks for being here._

 _Guest: There is 31 chapters (the number related to the number at the beginning of the chapter). I cut it short so you might be unhappy with some rush out at the end. Sorry about it. Thank you. I hope you will like the story until the end._

 _Guest: Sorry there will be no more story after this one. So if shina exist, it is within this one. Thank you for being here._

 _Touken: You can keep you cynism for yourself, I prefer to avoid bad emotion. If I made you angry by looking out for you and wondering if you had the time to read the chapter and so. I am sorry. I won't do it anymore. Review if you like. Quit if you want. I don't care if I have 600 reviews or not. To be perfectly honest, there is one of my reader that had received the whole story without leaving me a review on this website. But she gave me much more support and treated me so kindly that I don't need her to write in here. As long as I exchange with the people, it is fine. So stop your comment about number. I don't care about it as this is my last story. About the slow progression: would you really like it if I dumped out of nowhere "He remember, he kiss her and they lived happy. End"?_

 _WindyCitySlayer1: Thank you for being here. I hope you will like the chapter_

 _Guest:I have gave my thought about BasicallyaDino, you can read my answer to him. I am sure it can apply to you if you share his thoughts. Thank you_

 _Guest: Thank you! I will keep this pace as much as I can and as long as people are here._

 _Aewina-chwan: WELCOME! Gros calins aussi! Sai est tres observateur meme s'il est emotionellement deconnecté. Sasuke est une anti-these… non que dis-je, un oxymore! A lui tout seul. 237m c'etait un clin d'oil a l'animé où il precise toujours les record de Sakura quand elle envoyait valsé Naruto. En effet Naruto ne lorgne pas sur Tsunade ou Hinata ou aucune des sexy nana qui se frottent a lui parce qu'il n'a d'yeux que pour Sakura. C'est pour ca que son attitude change dans ma fiction entre le moment où il se reveille de son comma et maintenant qu'il aime Sakura. Dans le mange il n'y a qu'un moment ou il est tout chaud pour le sexy justsu (c'est le double sexy jutsu de Konohamaru). Pour la fin avec Sasuke, je vais vous reveler petits a petits ce qui se passe. Sasuke a ete affecté par le phenomene. Il a remarqué qu'il etait victime d'hallucination qui le terrifient et l'auraient poussé au meurtre s'il n'avait pas vu Itachi dans sa vision et on sait aussi que c'est son Rinnengan qui lui permet de s'en sortir. Sai est aussi affecté mais au lieu de tuer, il est en pleine apathie. MERCI POUR TON SOUTIEN!_

 _Merchant of Blue Death: Thank you about your analyse for the pace of publishing. Readers are not suppose to read the reviews it is for the writer. If they read the review, they know that they might get spoiled. If you don't have anything to say, just say "Hi" or that you liked it or not for me to know that you are still here. I won't add anything to this story. I will just be finishing the post production with my beta. Thank you for your support._

 _Kuroshirokun4869: What about Sasuke? Do you like how I developed the character or the opposite?About Naruto he still have a perverted side, but for now his side his mostly focused on Sakura ;) Thank you!_

 _Naru285: I am actually bringing some answer in to solve the mystery about the invisible matter. Thank you for being here._

 _Skillet: I am glad you like the sexy jutsu appearance and that you enjoy the story so far. Thank you for being here. I hope you will continue to like it._

 _Kathami20: Thank you very much, I hope you will continue to like it_

 _Eight heroes: Thank you for your constant support! I really appreciate your presence._

 _Guest: Thank you for being here_

 _Nicky5535:Thank you very much for your kind words. I hope you will continue to like it._

 _DumbStruck16: Thank you very much! I hope you will continue to like it too_

 _Maxslayer10:Yeah exactly, Naruto is a pervert mostly for Sakura now that he likes her. (In the manga Naruto never wanted to peep on girls in the bath, except to catch a glimpse of sakura after all) Thank you for being here_

 _YeagerMeister31:Thank you. I am glad that you had fun about the sexy jutsu and you noticed this details about the rasengan. It will appear later again._

 _Aqua Rules:I am sorry, I have develop a lot Sasuke in this story. Sorry that you don't like it. There will be more Narusaku but he will appear again. And in here, his presence was to help us solve the mystery behind the invisible matter. I can really sent Naruto on mission while amnesiac. I hope you will still like it though. Thank you for being here._

 _Guest0076: Thank you. I hope you will continue to like it._

 _Elarmi: Thank you! I am glad that you want more._

 _Guest:The sexy jutsu is Naruto's symbol in Konohamaru's mind, it is the first jutsu that Naruto taught him. I am glad that you had fun reading it, the 237m fly was nice to picture in my mind too. Thank you for being here_

 _Tiny tanaka:I am sorry, I won't develop much SaiSasu, I had planned at the beginning and cut down the chapters in the end to finish the story. You might not like Naruto next set of memories. But what is wonderful about Naruto is that he loves her that he want it or not. Good luck with your life. I know how hard it is when life become hectic. My best wishes for you!_

 _Joey91731: I am glad that you had fun. Thank you for sharing it with me._

 _Michaeltop10:Thank you very much. I hope you will continue to like it._

 _blueZ44:it will come (not in this chapter, be patient… I have prepared something that I hope you will like. Thank you for being here._

 _RSfan: Thank you for being here. I will give more clue about the black matter here._

 _ThatPageantGirl: Yeah Naruto was quite untactful with the "mom" comment. You will have your answer about what Sai saw here. Thank you for your support._

 _Dpmaragoni: I am sorry but this story is the last. At least for a long while until I find back my will to write._

 ** _Chap 23: What's bred in the bone will come out in the blood_**

The sun was setting slowly and he felt incredibly tired. He pushed his head into the pillow more, muffling his breathing through the feathers stuffing it. He felt heart-broken, so torn to pieces. He wanted to cry. It was utterly stupid, but he still felt like it.

What a shame that he couldn't decide what to remember. What a shame that each piece of the puzzle he got depicted a sadder and sadder portrait of his past life. It's been a week, a week full of efforts and results. He remembered many things, many unwanted things...

Each day he faced a new trial, a new set of images throwing him off balance, making him more confused, like in front of an undecipherable riddle. Each day was accompanied by its share of hurt, hunger, injustice, loneliness – so much loneliness. It was as if his brain was purposely making him suffer in one way or an other. Even a "good" memory was nothing more than a bit of honey to help swallow needles.

It was like when he thought 'pink', and it came in the form of the spring and an old man. In this memory an old man he called Oji-san sat next to him, releasing clouds of smoke from a pipe from a long lost era. He was a small child at that time and the wrinkled hand had gently patted his blond head before pointing with his gnarled knuckles to the blossoming pink flowers of the cherry tree above. The old man taught him that the spring always bloomed after the long winter. He remembered the pain in his body, the bruises covering his small arms and legs that day, but just the hope instilled by those delicate flowers dancing in the wind was proof that the world could still be beautiful. And this little wonder, this breeze of sweetness, was as usual followed by the memory of the greatest harm humans could give a child, a child from their own village. It was puzzling, as his assailants were the very same people who kindly smiled at him and greeted him in the street nowadays. What happened in between? What changed or was it all a lie? A deception?

Naruto sighed, burying his face in his comfy pillow even more. He could pass over the hatred, the bullies, the glares, all the nasty memories stinging his flesh. It was horribly painful and he endured everyday with his goal in mind: returning to his life, not letting down his friends, and _her_.

But today felt different. It was hard to have her love for Sasuke thrown in the face. It was as stupid as he always knew it to be from day one. There was actually nothing new to it, her baby the proof of it. But at some point he forgot and just enjoyed her presence, basking in her attention...

It was foolish, utterly foolish.

He didn't need to be a genius to know that he had no chance to begin with. It was not babble and talk as all his memories had just confirmed it. He saw her with his own eyes, he witnessed her devotion for his _brother_. Her tears when Sasuke was hurt, her despair when Sasuke left them, her determination to help him find Sasuke. Sasuke, Sasuke, always Sasuke, so much that he wondered if there was a limit to her dedication. He couldn't deny any of it, they were plain fact and his heart broke even more.

A gentle knock on the door pulled him out of his self-pity-party and his bleak eyes darted to the side to look at the separation between them.

"Naruto, dinner is ready." Sakura called him sweetly.

He didn't want to see her right now and show her this pitiful side of him. He wanted to be alone and digest the information on his own. Tomorrow, he would find a way to face her and be a good friend, tomorrow…

"I'm not hungry." He mumbled just loud enough, lifting his head out of his pillow to be heard.

"Naruto, you need to eat. It's important..." Sakura coaxed with her best motherly tone.

"Not hungry." He repeated more firmly and huffed before hiding his face in his pillow to forget the whole world, her included.

It lasted three seconds. Three seconds of benevolent silence. Three seconds where he might have thought she had abandoned her effort. Only three and not even one more.

A loud bang made him jump into a sitting position in fright, still holding his pillow against his chest. She was there, in the middle of what was left of his door. She had simply pulverized it. He swallowed with difficulty as it seemed that his heart was trying to escape through his throat in its panic. There was this dangerous aura around her, her hair standing straight in all direction as if coursing with electricity, her glare shining with a feral glow.

"Na-ru-to." It sounded menacing.

The tone from beyond the grave that she used made him shiver to the roots of his hair, and instinctively he looked from right to left in search of an escape as she stomped toward him with a vein pulsing on her forehead.

"I said: Dinner. Is. Ready." It was menacing, indeed.

Her arm lifted up and he tightly closed his eyes, expecting an explosive punch. But Sakura just firmly grabbed his collar to bring his face close to her as she stared at him.

"Yes Ma'am!" He accepted, frightened by the outcome if he tried to be stubborn, and she released him, her fingers unwrapping languidly and letting him fall back on his bed.

Tentatively, Naruto cracked an eye open to check if the situation was safe. She was still there in front of him, but all her vibes had swapped around. She was now avoiding his gaze, her arms limp at her sides. She seemed sad.

"You need to eat... You need your strength to recover." Her voice was barely a murmur, almost defeated.

His eyes opened wide, noticing the glimmering of a tear precariously hanging on her eyelashes. He gasped, surprised and her hand flew to her face to hide her eyes from view.

"You can hate me all you want. I can stay away from you if you want. But please – please... eat something at least." Her voice was shaking in her constricted throat. She wanted to be strong but the more she lost him, the more she lost herself, her conviction, her faith, and her direction in her life. She couldn't bear more of this, his avoidant behavior. Where was her best friend, her loyal accomplice, the other part of herself? What did she do to make him hate her?

He was petrified, surprised by her words. Naruto was struck more than if she had punched him. In some way he would have preferred a blow instead of her tears. ' _Hate her? How was it even possible to imagine such a thing?'_ He was head-over-heels for her, he could die for her. He was attached by a red string to her. Anything she did made his heart flutter or sink. She had absolutely no idea how much willpower he used each instant not to swoop down on her and ravish her with all his might.

Naruto jolted upright as he noticed a small tremor on her shoulders. She was suppressing her grief. Without thinking, his body moved of its own accord and he embraced her softly. She fit perfectly in his arms, so petite and delicate.

"You're wrong. I can't hate you, never..." Naruto gently caressed her locks, lovingly "Actually Sakura-chan, I..." He suspended his confession, hesitating to lay his heart bare. ' _Do I have the right to tell her?'_

His soft-toned voice was lulling her, and she naturally wound her arms around his waist to bask in his warmth. His heart was beating fast but it was so calming to hear it, and there was that little thing about him. She wanted more of him.

"Sa-Sakura-chan, you're crushing me..." He whined as she had unconsciously tightened her hold on him.

Realization hit her like a train and she released him, ashamed. "Sorry!" She took a step back and tucked her hair behind her ear. She stole a timid glance towards him as he recovered from his lack of oxygen. She was supposed to keep him safe and instead suffocated him."So will you come for dinner?" She tried shyly, remembering the purpose of her presence.

He nodded, not able to refuse her anything anymore. He would pull his heart out of his rib cage with his own hands for her, he would do whatever it took to make her happy, even if it meant being a good friend and giving her to another man.

XXXXXXXXXX

Sasuke glanced over his shoulder at the man still unconscious on his back and growled, irritated. Who would have guessed that such a skinny guy like Sai would be so heavy? He re-adjusted his grip on the other man's legs and kept going. He was exhausted by their long journey and wanted nothing more than to ditch his burden, clean up, and sleep. Fortunately for him, he could already make out the outline of the leaf village's gates at the end of the road.

Giving one last push with his legs, he made it in no time to the guards at the front and presented his travel authorization without showing the slightest interest for the ninja on duty. For him, it was just a formality, an annoying formality.

The opposite of Naruto, who could barge in in any manner he wanted, Sasuke was still looked at with suspicion every time he entered the vicinity of the village. So without his habitual escort, the former rogue ninja couldn't hope to pass the gate without a thorough confirmation of his identity and the Hokage's seal of approval. Not that he couldn't undo the security as if they were nothing more than a child's plaything, but he didn't want to destroy the hard work Naruto and Sakura had done for him to be accepted in the village; even if it was just a semblance of acceptance by the villagers.

The guard read through the scroll and nodded. "You're expected at the Hokage's office for your report." The man grumbled, unfriendly.

"I guess I'm expected to bring this guy to a medic first, unless you want to take this package and deal with it for me." Sasuke retorted, unfazed by the usual hostility, pointing Sai out with a flick of the head. .

"Can't let the place be unguarded. Deal with it yourself and go to the Hokage immediately after!"

Sasuke put his scroll back in his pouch and didn't deign to reply to the guard. He had other business to attend to instead of wasting his time with men like him. He directly took the direction of the hospital, only to find that Tsunade was busy in an late surgery so he changed his plan, as he couldn't leave it to doctors not worth their salt, and brought the last team seven member to someone whose medical skill he was sure of: Sakura.

XXXXXXXXXX

When you enter your own home, you never expect to be placate against the wall by a brute, do you? This sort of reasoning is valid for any normal being, except hard-core shinobi. That being said, it explained how Sasuke was able to dodge a bullet punch by a hair as he set foot into his house. With great skill he evaded the threat with a flip, defying all rules of physics, and the pink-haired danger stopped soon afterward as she recognized the intruder.

"Should I remind you that I live here?" Complained the handsome ninja.

"I am in charge of security, meaning apprehending any intruder." Sakura retorted.

"You arrest people by killing them?"

"I stay safe by being on the offensive." Sakura replied before noticing a more than strange occurrence, Sasuke was giving a piggyback ride to Sai. "What's wrong with Sai?"

"He's hurt and passed out."

"Mhm, I can see he's out. What's happened?"

"Don't know for sure. Something strange in the last village we visited. People went berserk and started killing each other. I don't know if it's something polluting the air or just a phenomena related to the village itself. He got injured and though I bandaged his wounds, he lost a lot of blood and fell unconscious midway back."

"Well, leave him on the sofa, I will treat him." Sakura told him, stepping aside to let him enter.

"Can't you treat him here? He's bloody and dirty. He will mess up our couch."

"Sasuke-kun." She smiled sweetly at him, but the expression didn't fool him. It was not a smile. "I won't treat my teammate in the hallway." No matter how poised the voice was, the message was clear and firm, leaving no room for argument.

Sasuke walked forward and grunted, "Sometimes I wonder who really lives here."

He dropped his charge on the sofa as designated by the medic-nin and turned around to leave.

"Wait Sasuke!"

"Hn?"

"Are you hurt?" She asked.

"It can wait."

A pout formed on her lips at the dry answer of her teammate and she stomped towards him, determined. He didn't move and didn't cower in front of her, he never had and never will. Disdainfully looking down on her as she stopped a few inches away, he observed her, indifferent.

Her left eyebrow twitched at the challenge, but she kept her temper in control. Why her boys were all so reckless was a mystery, and it was unfair that the only thing she could do for them was to mend them.

"Now, don't move!" She growled reproachfully before biting her thumb and making the summoning seal to call upon the divine slug. Then, she set the animal down on his shoulder where a blood stained bandage showed through the torn material of his jacket. "I told you to take my Katsuya with you."

He watched her without comment. He never had been one to talk, and thanking someone even less.

"Come back soon, I will be waiting for you to treat your wound." Sakura told him, a gentle smile on her face, her voice sincere and tender this time.

"Hn." He paused, looking elsewhere. "I will try to be brief with Kakashi."

Sasuke left, leaving her alone in the lounge with an unconscious Sai, and she proceeded with her healing duty. Taking off his clothes and undoing his bandages, she examined the many bruises and cuts covering the skin of the pale shinobi. Sai was an elite ninja, able to evade very complex attacks. How could the artist have received so many wounds? What type of opponents had he faced? Was that village full of skilled warriors? Even like that, it would have been hard to inflict so much damage without Sai retreating to be safe.

After she had finished cleaning, disinfecting, and patching up the wounds, she passed her healing hand over his head and noticed something odd. Sai's chakra paths had been disrupted in his brain, the pattern completely abnormal as if out of sync. She wasn't called the medical prodigy of her generation for nothing and her clever mind put the dots together. Was it her medical instinct or just this perfect knowledge of science which helped her isolate a particular unmatched wavelength? All in all, she was sure of it, Sai's state and Naruto's case were definitely related. Not the same, sure. Sai's problem being a thousand times easier to fix. However she hoped to find some clues in it for Naruto's.

Once she finished attending to Sai's care, she carried him up to the spare guest room to let him rest before returning in the lounge to further study what she found and wait for Sasuke's return. As promised, the man came back shortly after and she placed a bookmark at her last chapter to keep her reading for later.

"Where's the guy?"

"I laid him in the spare guest room." Sakura informed him.

"Tss."

"Instead of looking askance at me, come here and let me heal you"

Sasuke took in her appearance as she gestured for him to come. Her hair was up in a ponytail so as not to fall in her face as she bent over the small table to write notes. Her eyes were shadowed by lack of sleep, her face somehow more emaciated. Was she taking proper care of herself?

"Aren't you tired?" Sasuke asked her, trying to sound casual while taking a seat near her.

"It has been a long day." The pinkette acknowledged, helping him out of his jacket.

"Is it OK for you to treat me?"

Sakura took off the bandage around his shoulder, not minding his last comment as if he hadn't uttered it. A scar was beginning to form under the scab and the dry blood, so she passed a wet cotton over it to clean it.

"I mean – Should I go to the hospital instead ?" He reformulated his thought.

"Sasuke, you and I know perfectly well that you don't like it there. So let me do my job!"

She knew him well, since he came back he wouldn't go to any other medic than her. "Hnn."

Sasuke broke eye contact with her, the table was suddenly fascinating. ' _Who chose it? It couldn't be Naruto with his god awful sense of fashion.'_ "Was there some improvement with Naruto?" He asked to change the topic.

"He recovered memories steadily during the week, but he is always troubled after each session. It's hard on him and he never wants to talk about it."

"Don't force him." The raven haired man advised.

"It's easy for you to say that, you're not the one he's avoiding."

"Avoiding? " Sasuke threw a glance at her and smirked. "You're not really making any effort to be attractive, but to the point of being avoided... Truly, I'm amazed at how you managed to seduce him. He really does have strange tastes. "

Sakura looked down and blushed self-consciously at her state of dress. She was wearing her old pajamas made from an oversized shirt and large jersey pants, the most comfy things in the world to sleep in. Far from being sexy indeed, but Naruto had long since gone into his room and nobody was supposed to see her like that.

"He-He didn't see me in this!" She stuttered, embarrassed. "And that's not the point here!"

Sasuke shrugged, abandoning his teasing."Well I guess he's just shocked by his past then. He's an orphan and he was the Jinchuriki. He had a pretty tough life. It's not easy to deal with it."

"I just wanted to help him – to be useful." Sakura mumbled, defeated.

"Give him time." Sasuke suggested, nonchalant.

Sakura continued to disinfect the wound in silence, her heart still heavy about her situation with Naruto. It was easier to focus on her work than on her heartache and it fell right into place with Sasuke's usual lack of conversation.

She observed the cut on his back. It had been deep, not made by a blade or a kunai. The edges were rough and the form of it was large. ' _What type of weapon could make that?'_

"Sasuke. Was it a pickax which did that?" She guessed.

"Hnn"

"How?"

"I told you, something made us lose our minds in that village."

Sakura applied her healing hand on the wound, "I found something on Sai: a residual unbalance in the functioning of the ionic canals in part of his brain." She informed him.

"Translation please?"

"The ionic canals control the electric charge inside and outside the neuron, in fact they are part of the mechanism of propagation of the electric messages through the axon. So if something disrupts them or changes their functioning, it changes the content of the message. It's a way to control the mind." Sakura explained.

"I see. Can it create selective hallucinations?"

"Yes. The brain can make you believe anything. It's the organ which processes all our perceptions and runs all the operations in our body."

He stayed quiet, lost in thought, Itachi's vision in the front of his mind.

Her green eyes studied his profile, wondering what was putting him in this pensive state. But she bite her tongue she knew better than to ask questions of the secretive Uchiha. Sasuke never answered her if he didn't want to. That was certainly the reason why he advised her to not ask questions of Naruto. For him, people talked when they wanted to and Sasuke basically never wanted to talk.

She lifted his arm for better access to his side where a knife wound was already half healed thanks to Katsuya's effect and she regenerated the skin in a last push of chakra.

"All done. You can go to rest." Sakura sighed, relieved to have all her boys back to health.

She stood up, stretching her arms above her head to release the fatigue, and they both climbed up the stairs in fashionable silence. Passing in front of the first room, Sasuke gave a curious glance at the wooden plank replacing Naruto's door.

"Have you been attacked?" The Uchiha questioned.

Sakura laughed, embarrassed. "Haha, no – I – I accidentally broke it..." She didn't want to go into detail on that.

"Really? That's why I didn't want you to live here with us. He's so prompt at pissing you off that we would have holes in every wall and door in the house in less than a month." Sasuke grumbled.

The pinkette frowned, but didn't try to deny it. With a door broken in just a week while she was trying her best to keep in check her temper, she didn't have much room to reply to his accusation.

"I'm going to sleep." She stepped in her room, the best defense there was to walk away.

He looked at her back, her petite figure, and remembered this impression of fragility coming from her as she shared with him her secret. ' _She is part of our family now.'_

"Sakura."

She stopped, waiting for the next acerbic comment.

"Rest well." Sasuke dropped the bomb as if it was the most natural thing in the world for him to say.

She stayed for a while, her jaw hanging low. She had waited for those sort of kind words from Sasuke for, like, forever. If she had been her old twelve year old self, she would have jumped around in a frenzy and certainly called Ino to taunt her with it. It was shocking, shocking and warm. She felt accepted and it was enough. She didn't need Sasuke's love anymore, being his friend was all she wanted.

"You too."

The raven haired ninja left her, nonchalantly waving a hand before going into the bathroom for a well deserved hot bath. She closed her door, a small smile on her lips.

XXXXXXXXXX

The morning came fast, too fast to her liking. Sakura would have gladly stayed in bed a couple of hours more if it wasn't for her unpleasant morning nausea. As it happened more and more frequently, she ran at full speed to the closest bathroom to empty whatever was left in her belly. After cleaning up and dressing for the day, she decided to go down to prepare breakfast, she had a lot to do with her three boys all together.

Arriving down the stair, she was surprised to see Sasuke. She didn't expect anyone to be up so early. He was sitting at the table with an empty cup of coffee abandoned at his side and yesterday's newspaper in his hands.

"Good morning, Sasuke."

"Hnn" He greeted her in his own way.

 _'Ah? Back to his usual morning grumpiness.'_ Sakura thought for herself. "I'm going to prepare breakfast. Do you fancy anything special?" She asked.

"It's already done. I've made rice and fish accompanied with miso soup." The Uchiha answered, bored, not lifting his eyes off his reading.

 _'At what time did he got up to do all that?'_ "Ah. Thanks."

There was no point in expecting to have a decent conversation with Sasuke, so just sitting with him without doing anything would feel awkward. She looked around and saw her books spread on the lounge table, many of them still open, displaying diagrams and anatomical charts. It was settled, she would just study until her other boys woke up to have breakfast all together.

Sasuke formidably ignored her and she tried to do the same with less success as she stole a few glances in his direction every time he turned a page of his newspaper. Had she ever managed to talk to him without Naruto around? She wondered now. She even doubted she'd ever been alone with him on friendly terms. Pulling her book closer to her face to hide her discomfited expression, she sighed in relief when she finally heard Naruto's door open.

The former rogue ninja's attention snapped up at the sound, and his impenetrable black eyes shifted in the direction of the stairway. The blond man appeared shortly after, yawning and scratching his belly at the bottom of the stair. His half lidded blue eyes instantly opened as he recognized the man at the table.

"Welcome back!" Naruto cheerfully sang, joining him.

Sasuke raised a small smile at the man he considered his brother and closed his newspaper. "I'm back home."

"Good morning, Naruto. Did you sleep well?" Sakura greeted her amnesiac boyfriend, not wanting to be left out because of Sasuke's presence.

"Ah –" ' _I have to be a good friend.'_ "Good morning, Sakura-chan! I guess I was tired, I slept like a rock. I just had a strange dream about an octopus."

She clapped her hand in delight to not be avoided and at the prospect of Naruto recovering more and more memories even out of his 'extraction' session. "You dreamed about Killer B!"

"The octopus has a name?" The blond inquired, surprised.

"It was an octopus with a bull head, wasn't it?"

Naruto nodded. "How do you know?"

"He is your friend!" Sakura said coming to sit at the table with them.

"So it's wasn't just a dream?"

"Nope." She joyously confirmed.

"You're sure? Because it was really odd. The thing was trying to do a Rap but it sounded horrible..."

"Sure. It's Killer B."

Sasuke stood up, leaving them to their conversation and went to the kitchen to bring the food.

Sakura saw him coming back with the plate and frowned. "You're not waiting for Sai to join?"

"Why should I?" The Uchiha heir answered, detached.

"Because he's our teammate." The pinkette insisted.

"He could be out cold until the end of the day for all we know, there is no reason to wait." Sasuke countered.

 _'Why can't he accept Sai as one of us?'_ She said nothing, but her disapprobation showed up as her lips pinched in a thin line. Sasuke left again to bring the rest of the meal, indifferent to her visible dislike of his decision. Sakura observed him angrily. _'Is there no way to make him change his mind?'_

She abruptly stood and declared to Naruto. "I'm gonna help him with the plates. I'll be back in a second."

The blond rested his head on his hand, watching her leave. _'huh – lovers quarrel?'_ He sighed. _'If only she could be my girlfriend instead, I would do anything to make her happy.'_

Sasuke turned around at her arrival, his right eyebrow lifted in curiosity. "Need something?"

The pinkette gasped in surprise. All her grand speeches about being teammates flew out the window as she spotted the fourth plate carefully wrapped on the counter for the last member of team seven who was still sleeping. He did prepare something for Sai. How could she have doubted Sasuke when he carried his teammate all the way to Konoha? She was being unfair to him. Sasuke had never shown his emotions, but he always took care of them when he was part of the team. He had been, after all, the first one to offer his meal to Naruto in the bell test.

A smile stretched on her lips. "I came to help you." She said, grabbing the remaining bowls of soup.

The Uchiha heir didn't comment, just following after her, and the breakfast continued in perfect cordiality until the moment Sai showed up. It was too good to be true to have such a heartwarming family picture without a fight in between to spice things up. The artist came down the stairs wearing large sweat pants with a large shirt. Sasuke glanced at the kunoichi, knowing fairly well that the clothes weren't his, Naruto's, or Sai's _even if_ they were mens clothing.

"What am I doing here?" Sai asked.

"You were injured in your last mission." Sakura informed him, sure that Sasuke wasn't going to give a proper answer.

"I know I was injured, I'm bandaged like a mummy. How did I got here?"

"Sasuke carried you all the way back, isn't that nice?" The pinkette gladly told him.

"Oh? How surprising... I would have thought that the Traitor would have let me rot where I was." Sai stated point-blank.

A vein ticked on Sasuke's forehead and he ground his teeth in annoyance. ' _I should have.'_

"Don't be so harsh with him, Sai! He took great care of you to not let you die. He gave you the first aid, he carried you, and he even prepared you some breakfast today." Sakura defended.

Sai scratched his chin while processing the information, then turned to talk to the person concerned. "You're maybe not such a bad person after all, Traitor." The artist gave him his forced smile.

Sasuke glared at the pale man, pissed off to no end. "Tss! Go to hell!"

"Seems I came back from there." Sai commented lightly, then turned to Sakura as if remembering something important. "Thank you for healing me and for the clothes too, Ugly!"

 _'Sakura-chan's clothes – The bastard slept in her clothes... Wait, Sakura-chan doesn't sleep in an ultra sexy nightdress? Did she wear that just for me? No, stop! I'm going into some weird fantasies again like the other dream where we made love in a forest.'_ Naruto thought.

"Do you remember anything from back in the last village?" Sasuke bluntly interrogated his mission partner, cutting off Naruto's daydream by the seriousness of his voice.

"The last thing I remember is that I was covered in blood, everything was red, the fire, the screams." Sai looked perplexed as he tried to recollect the past event. "I was petrified. Truly petrified. I have never felt fear, but I guess that's what it was. I was facing... I don't know. I can't – I can't put a name to it, the scenery changed. I was stuck in between dead bodies, faceless people like all those that I killed. The blood running on my limbs where like ropes and I was held prisoner. I couldn't escape and I was drowning, suffocating..."

"So you too had hallucinations." Sasuke remarked.

"I didn't ask yesterday, but how have you been spared, Sasuke?" Sakura inquired.

"I used the power of my rinnegan to make an alternate dimension for a split second and break the effect." ' _But it's mostly Itachi's curse that kept me sane.'_

"I see. But it won't be possible to use it on anyone else." Sakura thought out loud. "Well, we've already made good progress. I will search for a way to apply the principle without the use of a rinnegan."

"Good idea, and while you go searching for that I'm taking Naruto for training." Sasuke suggested.

"Yeah! Will we do some sparing?" Naruto asked eagerly.

Sakura pouted at being thrown aside so easily by her boys. "Not fair," she mumbled.

"I can keep you company if you want. I'm still too tired to spar and I have to find a book on how to deal with psychotic people anyway." Sai offered.

 **I might be late for the publishing next week as I will be very busy. I will try my best to keep the schedule.**

 **THANKS TO ALL MY REVIEWERS!**


	25. Chapter 25

**_THANKS TO GINA TSUKIKO FOR BETA READING THE CHAPTER_**

 _Elarmi:As I stated in the first chapter of the story Sai and Sasuke have a conflictive relationship. There will be some more bad memories before better ones. Thank you for being here._

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 _Joey91731: Thank you very much for your support. I am like you, I can't understand why some people like to be mean. I highly value your presence by my side and I am waiting to see your own work florish. I wish you the best._

 _Sinedd662:Thank you very much! I am glad that you continue to enjoy each chapter._

 _YeagerMeister31: I think it is more logic for people to not like and trust Sasuke. He was after all a traitor as Sai call him. Naruto love him as a brother and Naruto is the type of guy who would be able to forgive anyone (even the devil itself) but I don't think it is the case for most people. For Sakura, I found her very similar to kushina on many point (her bad tempter too) so I thought she might be doing so. Thank you for your support!_

 _Beastedon: Soon… soon you will see what I have prepare for them. Thank you for your support._

 _Aewina-chwan: LOVE LOVE LOVE!_ _MERCI Mille fois pour ton commentaire qui me va droit au coeur. Je suis completement d'accord avec toi a propos du gachis que Kishimoto a fait en mettant Naruto avec Hinata les gros seins. Et ensuite je veux apporter quelques corrections a certains point: Naruto a revu le 3eme Hokage (pas Jiraya) dans sa vision avec les fleur de sakura.. Et pour le petit dejeuner que Sasuke a preparé de bonne heure, Sasuke est insomniac (a cause de ses cauchemars) du coup, c'est pour ça que Sakura se demande a quelle heure il s'est levé pour faire tout ça. Apres tu as raison sur le reste. Merci de commenter sur toutes les choses que tu aime, ça me fait tellement plaisir de savoir que tel ou tel detail t'a plu. PS: Ne t'inquiete pas pour moi. L'ecriture est finie pour moi, on est en post production, donc plus cool. Apres, je fais de mon mieux parce que je suis comme ça (une sorte de code d'honneur). Merci d'etre là! Derriere ton ecran tu es une personne et c'est cette personne que j'apprecie._ _Merci!_

 _Guest: Thanks! Sai is funny to work._

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 _Guest:You will have to be patient to meet with Shina ;) Thank you_

 _Eight heroes: Thank you very much for your constant support!_

 _Guest: I am sorry that you didn't like the chapter._

 _Merchant of Blue Death: Sai and Sasuke are not really getting along but they try to not kill each other for Naruto's sake. For Naruto's dream, that is why I made him remember his fantasm first to make it more confusing for him. Thank you for your support._

 _Basicallyadino: Thank you for clarifying your intention as not malicious. About my question "who are you to judge?" I believe, I might be wrong, that to be able to judge anything or anyone, you need to have at least some element to base your judgement on it. So I won't argue with you as it seems we just have different point of view about what is right and what is wrong in life. Just to point out few fact I totally accept constructive criticism when related to my story as it help me to improve. If you go around the answers I made to my reviewers from the beginning of my story, I always thanks people for their opinion about the story, good or bad. In PM I often ask for more explanation or apologize for my mistake if I did. In the last part of the short story as told you as an exemple, I did mention how much I valued the people who connected with me. That being said, I think whatever I can tell you will be distorted or misinterpreted as you seems to have created in your own mind a false image of me and based your opinion on it. About finishing the story, it was in my line of duty to give my best until the end (my personnal ethical code). It might be a hobby, but I value so much the people reading it that I wanted to give them the best that I could until the end, even if I had to finish it utterly exhausted. Do not worry for my pace of work, I have stopped working and I don't plan to write anymore here. I am just doing the post production now. As you pointed out I stated from chapter one that this story will be published only under the condition to have exchange with people, so that why people know the end of the deal from the beginning. My satisfaction is in the exchange with people, I was more than clear about it. There is so no surprise in me reminding people to leave a review if they want to have the story._

 _Alphadark19: Thank you very much. I hope you will continue to like it._

 _Naru285: Thanks_

 _Touken: Sorry if I misunderstand you. As you commented on chapter 19 about the number also, I took it offensively as I received other comment on the same subject by other people too and I have been lately fed up to justify myself for my will to exchange with my readers. I am apologizing to have been rude to you in my answer._

 _Tiny tanaka: Thank you for your suppor. For the answer of your question who will tell Naruto, I can't spoil it. Just a little bit more to discovert it. About Sakura pregnancy, she is around two month now (so her body is changing, hormones are rushing but it is not visible yet except for a slight swollen breast) so people shouldn't be able to notice her belly yet._

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 _Skillet: I think that Sasuke can be nice to people he considere his family. Thank you for being here_

 _Buanga:Thank you for your support. I hope you will continue to like it. Sorry for the slight delay._

 _Harucchi: Thank you very much. I am glad that you liked it so far. I hope I will not disappoint you._

 _Donthedarkdragon: Thank you for your support. I hope you will continue to like it._

 _Maxslayer10:It is not exactly as you said, but you are close to the truth ;) Thank for being here_

 _Guest:Thanks, but I don't see the point in working so hard anymore._

 _Aqua Rules: Thank you for being here_

 _BlueZ44: To want to write I need a motivation. If I don't find it, I won't write. Thank you for your words_

 _Eremika: The answer will come soon. Thank you for being here_

 _Guest: Thank you_

 _HITMAN0569:More memories are coming ;) Thank you for your support_

 _Narusakufanficfan1:Thank you I am glad that you like it. I hope you will like it._

 _RSfan: I understood perfectly your message. You were right about the darkness of the next set of memories, but it is not about Sakura. I hope you will like what will happened because of it. Thank you for being here!_

 _Jkookiee: Thank you for your review about How I fell in love. Please tell me about what you think about the chapters you read in my other stories. I love to know the reaction of my readers._

 _FOR THOSE I COULD ANSWER I AM SORRY. I WILL TRY TO ANSWER NEXT TIME_

 ** _Chap 24: A lie cut more than a blade_**

"Naruto! Wake up, Naruto!" Ino desperately shook the blond man's shoulder. She was completely panicked, still overwhelmed by the last vision in Naruto's memories. The situation was perilous: Naruto's body was reliving his battle with Sasuke from all those years ago, he was convulsing in pain and a burning rage was oozing around him.

She never knew that those two shared such a violent encounter. True, she did remember that Naruto had been hospitalized after the mission to retrieve Sasuke. But the blond boy was on his own two feet only a couple of days after being admitted. How could she have guessed that Sasuke had actually pierced his best friend through the chest with a chidori, trying to kill him?

"Naruto!"

The Jinchuuriki gasped, eyes opened wide in shock. It was like coming back to the surface after being drowned. He hyperventilated, his body trembling under the raw emotions he experienced. He wasn't looking at anything, his eyes fixed to the horizon, still seeing the last images of his memories.

"Naruto!" Ino called him again, but it was as if he were deaf to the sound of her voice. Too lost in another time. She grabbed his face between her hands to make him focus on her. He needed to come back to reality or he would be devoured by his past.

"Naruto! Answer me!"

He was blind. Another spasm coursed through his chest as he suffocated from the imaginary trauma in his lungs. His best friend had tried to kill him. He remembered the pain of being abandoned more than the physical pain itself; the betrayal of his closest friend was worse than being beaten up by strangers in his early childhood.

"Naruto!" Ino shook him, her nails digging into his flesh as she tightened her grip.

Naruto finally managed to distinguish Ino's face from the blurs around him. _She is – afraid? – worried?_

"Naruto! Breathe! Calm down!"

His vision became steadier and he began to make out the words she was saying. She dabbed a handkerchief under his nose and he noticed a red stain on it before she applied it again to stop the flow of blood.

"Calm down, Naruto. It will be finished soon." She reassured him, giving his hand a gentle squeeze to help him relax. She knew it wouldn't take long for his brain to arrange the memories in a proper place since it had only been a couple of sessions and his brain was able to deal with them by itself.

Naruto raised his still shaking hand up to his face and hesitantly touched the fabric. It was wet, and when he looked at his fingers, they were tainted with trace of blood too.

"It's ok, it will stop. It's just the shock. This one must have been particularly hard on you." Ino whispered softly as to soothe his agitated state. "Do you want to rest for a bit?" She offered, caressing his hair comfortingly.

Naruto nodded, not really sure he understood the situation or what happened. His mind was still confused, not completely back in reality. He was troubled, too many emotions roughed up from all sides. The blond could feel a malicious desire under his skin boiling, raw, violent, _dangerous_. It was swirling around him, in him, leaving him completely unsettled.

The Yamanaka heiress helped him to lie down on the examining table and Naruto stayed immobile for a while, his eyes not even blinking. He was there without really being there until he saw her walk towards the door and open it. His hand flew to his chest, creasing the material of his shirt as he got a glimpse of Sasuke's face. Their eyes met for the briefest second before Ino closed the door behind her.

The man he called brother had tried to kill him.

This truth sank into him, deep, deep down. It carved itself into his flesh like the fist Sasuke had passed in his lung. Sasuke had tried to kill him. Was their friendship all a lie? From the beginning he had relied on him, followed him, trusted him. Was everything just a lie?

All sense of reason left him, but Naruto couldn't really be blamed for that. What could be saved when you discover that the person you loved and trusted the most was a man who tried to kill you? He was suffocating. He didn't know what to believe anymore. He had no other choice than to escape. He couldn't stay here. He couldn't face him.

Naruto jolted upright, disregarding the tremor born from his mental agitation. His body swayed with each step, but he still made it to the window. After fumbling with the lock he opened the window and looked down at the ground below. His head was spinning, but jumping from the second floor would be no challenge for him since he could still manage to perfectly control his chakra jump. He had no time to hesitate and he would figure things out as he went. He didn't know how or where, but he was sure he couldn't stay with Sasuke.

Determined, his fingers gripped the window's frame and with a leap he disappeared into the maze of the village.

XXXXXXXXXX

The door closed and Sasuke had just enough time to get a glimpse at Naruto. He didn't like it. He didn't like it at all. There was something fishy going on, he couldn't pinpoint what, but he suddenly felt tense.

"What's wrong with Naruto?" The former rogue ninja imperiously asked Ino.

"He's resting. You know that these extractions can be difficult." The Yamanaka heiress replied dryly, not over her shock from her own viewing of Naruto's memories.

Sasuke narrowed his eyes, sensing the lingering hostility. From as far has he had been concerned, Ino had never shown any sign of dislike or enmity towards him. This was something new, something related to what happened today.

"What did he see?" He demanded, his voice low and commanding.

"Not even the Hokage is allowed to know what's going through Naruto's head. It's private." The Yamanaka heiress refused defiantly. "Now, if you'll excuse me. I'm going to give my report and tell Sakura that the session is finished."

No, he didn't like it, and he had enough experience in gathering information to know that she was hiding something important from him. In the span of a breath, Sasuke's hand latched around her arm, immobilizing her. His grip was firm, not giving her any route for escape.

They didn't need to fight for her to know the outcome. Sasuke had always been far superior than her in all aspects. His sharingan protected him from her mental attack and his combat ability was probably only rivaled by Naruto.

As lost as the cause was, she still didn't lose her cool. "I never thought of you as one to pry."

"I'm not prying. I don't care for the details, but there's something wrong. I know it. As Naruto's friend, I have to help him."

"Naruto's friend..." She repeated pensively, her eyes darting away and to the floor. It'd been a while now that she had been weighing the sense of those words, _Naruto's friend_. How could any of them pretend to be his friend? Least of all, Sasuke. She'd seen many things since she began treating Naruto; many things that had left her shattered in pieces more than once. They weren't her own memories, but the pain still affected her. She couldn't look away. She couldn't deny the abuses and the injustices. They were all guilty, culpable to have turned their backs on Naruto when he needed them the most. But she would redeem herself.

Her nails purposely caressed the back of Sasuke's hand sensually, and delicately covered the Uchiha heir's hand with her own. Her gesture were finely balanced and perfectly collected, but the stare she aimed at him was made of steel.

"As Naruto's friend, understand that this matter is private." Ino closed her hand over his, "Everyone has some pain in their past, Naruto more than others." She stated, sure that he would understand the message behind those words. "He needs time and you're not the person he'll want to see today. So let me search for Sakura to give him the support he deserves. Alright?" Without force, she pulled on his grip, gently removing it.

Sasuke crossed his arms over his chest, annoyed, watching as Ino's slender figure disappeared down the corridor. If what she said weren't making so much sense, he would have forced the information out of her. But she had a point; like him, Naruto had his own demons, and there were definitely things Sakura was better at. He huffed, glancing at the closed door and wondering what had troubled Naruto so much to leave him in such a shocked state.

XXXXXXXXXX

Naruto ran through the streets as if the devil were at his heels. He couldn't use the rooftops without risking being immediately spotted by the man he called his brother. So he passed through the bustling market on foot, although not without some incident. He knocked over a cart, he pushed a few passerby, he stepped on a cat's tail and got his calf scratched. He didn't know where he was going, but it didn't stop him from running.

Fed up with the excessive animation of the commercial area, Naruto decided to use the back roads to avoid unnecessarily running into people. That being said, it had the opposite effect as he crashed into a young woman at the next corner. They ended up sprawling together on the pavement; his sheer speed and weight knocking the girl over and making him fall on top of her.

The young woman wasn't ugly, and more than one man would have enjoyed such a position; this type of scenario would certainly be ranked high in his collection of orange books. But it didn't cross his mind for two reasons: one, the girl was too young for his liking, and two, as a one-track-mind-type person he was too busy running away to really notice the girl.

"Sorry!" He hastily blurted out, standing up in a jolt, and it's only when he extended his hand to help the victim of his clumsiness that he recognized the girl. He had seen her just once, but she was hard to forget. She had punched him after all. " Sorry, Hanabi!"

"Naruto? What's the rush?" Hinata's little sister looked around, not seeing a trace of the usual bodyguards that followed him everywhere nowadays. "Where're your friends? Have you been attacked or something?" She dusted off her ninja pants.

"Huh – It's a long story, but I don't have the time now."

Hanabi narrowed her eyes, suspicious. Naruto looked panicked, as if he was in danger. "Where are you going?"

"Ah –" He racked his mind for an idea, but his brain was too jumbled to even sprout a decent lie.

"You're in trouble?" It was more of a statement than a question so he just nodded, not knowing what else to say.

"If you need a place to be safe, I know the perfect hideout for you."

"Really?" Naruto jumped on the opportunity, hopeful.

"You're my sister's friend and the future Hokage. There is no doubt that my family will offer you all the protection that you want. Follow me!"

Hanabi guided him through the maze of streets, avoiding the main roads to not be spotted by anyone, and invited him to enter the Hyuga's estate at the edge of the village. Naruto immediately assessed the advantage of being in such a place. Hanabi's house was in a perfectly quiet and secluded area, far from any disturbances. The front gates were guarded by two serious looking men and the walls surrounding the place were high and sturdy. If he kept a low profile it was more than likely that Sasuke wouldn't be able to find him here, Naruto thought.

They entered the compound, and Hanabi requested at the door of an old Japanese style mansion for an audience with her father. The servant in charge respectfully bowed to the Hyuga heiress and immediately went inside to fulfill the order.

"It's just a formality, but we have to inform my father." Hanabi told him.

Naruto nodded, and soon after the servant came back to invite them in. She walked in front of the two shinobi with small and discreet footsteps in the manner of those who had lived all their life in the shadow of others. Kneeling, the servant delicately opened the sliding door for the master's visitors, closing it behind them as they stepped in.

The place was finely but soberly decorated, it breathed wealth without being ostentatious. The tatami room was relatively empty except for the small table and cushion near the open shoji screens. The view was of a refined garden where all the plants and flowers were perfectly organized in the Japanese style, breathing calmness and beauty. Other than that, the decoration of the room was spartan with only two big vases sitting in either corner of the back wall. But the most singular attribute of the place was the large mural painting on the back wall . It was solemn, imposing in its unique artwork. Mountains, forests, rivers and a lake composed the fascinating background, while a massive evergreen tree took center stage. It was captivating with it branches drawn with such realistic details that one could have thought that the leaves undulated in a mischievous breeze.

Hiashi put down his tea cup on the small table in front of him and greeted his guest. "Welcome Uzumaki-dono! It's a rare occurrence for you to come to this part of the village. To what do we owe this honor of your visit?"

"Father, I offered Naruto-san our protection." Hanabi interjected to explain the young man's presence.

The Hyuga patriarch's eyes passed from the blonde man to his daughter for a brief second before resting on the village hero again. "I've heard about your situation from the Hokage. It is indeed a time of need to keep you safe. We wouldn't want the peace brought by the Elemental Alliance to be threatened if you were to disappear. But what happened to your bodyguards?"

Naruto tightened his fists, remembering the reasons of his escape from the hospital. His throat felt constricted, as if an invisible hand was strangling him. Just the thought of his best friend, his near brother, trying to kill him left him in the utmost turmoil. He was still too shaken up to think clearly and play act politics like his supposed status as the future Hokage obliged. He could just reply from the heart.

"I can't trust them anymore..." Naruto admitted with brutal honesty, his heart hurting.

Hiashi was taken aback by such an answer, as well as Hanabi who hadn't asked any questions during their walk and had been waiting for the discretion of the Hyuga mansion to investigate the reason behind Naruto's trouble. It was surprising; they didn't expect the Jinchuuriki to ever doubt his teammates.

For a while the Hyuga clan's head stayed silent. Setting his elbows on the table, he rested his chin on his intertwined fingers and observed the young man. Naruto's pulse was beating fast in his carotid, his jaw was tensed, and his overall condition was jittery. Naruto was greatly agitated and Hiashi didn't need his Byakugan to sense the dangerous chakra lurking underneath.

It'd been a long time since the beast inside the boy was restless, it seems nearly from a long gone era. But it was true that it was all thanks to Naruto's effort that the tailed beasts became allies. With the Jinchuuriki so on edge, there was no telling if the Kyuubi was in control.

The atmosphere turned heavy with the seriousness of the situation, contrasting so much with the serene aura brought by the peaceful surroundings. The gentle rustle of the leaves from the garden was filling the gap left in the conversation, creating a soothing melody. Naruto fidgeted, ill at ease under the scrutiny of those white eyes. The Hyuga patriarch shared none of the friendliness of his two daughters. The man's face was severe, his brows furrowed and his lips pinched.

For a moment, the blond pondered his other possibilities. Where could he go instead of here? Should he leave the village? He couldn't consider to going back at his own place and facing Sasuke. He was feeling too confused and hurt to do it. It was one thing to be alone and another to be betrayed.

A tremor ran amok on his spine as he heard the older man's clothes rustle when he shifted to stand. Naruto held his head high, waiting for the verdict, as Hiashi turned around him. The man stopped in front of him, folding his hands in his kimono sleeves. The white eyes were serious, drilling into him with intensity as if he were able to read his mind and Naruto clenched his teeth in anticipation.

"We're all indebted to you and I never have been fond of anyone of the Uchiha's lineage anyway. You can count on the Hyuga clan to help you with everything you might need. You're welcome to stay as long as you see fit." Then Hiashi turned toward his daughter. "Show him his room and make sure he lacks for nothing."

"Yes, father." Hanabi accepted, bowing respectfully.

The two men saluted with a short bow of the head and Naruto left, following the youngest Hyuga daughter through the compound. They walked down an alley to go to another mansion and the blond observed the household passing to and fro curiously . Even busy with their usual chores, each person passing nearby greeted them with great deference. The difference in status was overwhelming and made Naruto feel uncomfortable. He didn't much like this extreme politeness, those unspoken rules separating humans as if they weren't all the same. But that wasn't all. The whole estate breathed this air of rigorous control of everything. The excessively well maintained garden was impeccable, the row of plants was organized with absolute perfection and not a single weed was visible. Everything worked with a watchmaker's precision, from the tree to the simplest flower, and one couldn't find fault in the taste of the ensemble between the gardens to the elegant architecture of the habitations. It was all quiet, and in complete order – so much that a laugh would have felt out of place or insulting in this overly proper environment.

He didn't envy them. This place was nearly suffocating. Where was the life in this? He preferred his modest house a thousand times more , with his messy garden full of plants that he forgot the names of. His home felt warmer with the smell of a freshly homemade meal, with the books always lying around on his table lounge, and with Sakura sitting on his couch looking adorable as she focused on her reading.

 _Yeah, my house is warmer with Sakura, and with Sasuke – No! Not Sasuke!_

His musing abruptly stopped as he bumped into the shorter girl's back. He was about to apologize when the Hyuga heiress turned around, a strange glint shining in her white gaze.

"Sorry, I must have surprised you. I just remembered that I have something to take care of in my sister's room first."

Neither Naruto or the possible occupant had the time to reply as Hanabi immediately swung the door open. He was shocked, rooted to the spot. Hinata flung the fold of her yukata over her exposed chest in a complete reflex as she heard the door, but it was already too late as the image carved itself in Naruto's retinas.

The oldest daughter of the Hyuga clan's face found some new shade of red as she recognized the visitors. Not that she minded her sister seeing her in her underwear, but – but her dear little sister was accompanied by _her_ Naruto-kun. Her body was petrified, her fingers crumpling her clothes as she tightly held them against her chest. She couldn't believe it.

 _Naruto-kun saw me in my underwear..._

It sank into her brain and she forgot how to breathe. The rest was easy to predict: Hinata passed out. Her body became limp, her legs suddenly giving out. She fell head first, and seeing everything in a slow motion Naruto instinctively lunged forward before Hinata crashed to the ground.

If Naruto weren't so busy saving the inanimate woman, he probably would have noticed the sly grin sprouting on the younger Hyuga sister's face as he caught Hinata in his arms. Hanabi didn't move from the entrance, simply enjoying the show. If asked, she would completely deny that her actions were premeditated or that she had suddenly decided to visit her sister's room as she accidentally saw with her Byakugan that her big sister was changing clothes.

"Oh my! What happened?" Hanabi faked being surprised and came to crouch at her sister's side.

She laughed devilishly to herself glancing at the generous cleavage partly exposed through the bad folding of her sister's yukata. There was no man who would not be attracted by this sort of temptation, she thought, and praised herself for her cunning. All was going according to her will. Her big sister was now in the arms of the love of her life and there was no doubt that the guy had noticed her big sister's assets. She just needed to get them alone together for a little while to help fate along.

"Can you take care of her for a little bit? I'm gonna search for a glass of water for her." Hanabi requested before leaving the room to hide herself in the next to witness with her own eyes how her future brother-in-law would react.

Her big sister should reward her for such an incredible plan improvised at the last minute. With her quick thinking, she had been able to turn a fortuitous coincidence into the perfect premise for romance. It was not like she didn't care about Naruto's conflict with his teammates. She had been genuinely worried for him when she found him thinking he was in real danger. But now that she knew it was just bickering with his best friends, there was no doubt that it was just a matter of time before he made up with them. So for the time being, she would make the most of this situation for her sister's sake.

She snuck as close as possible to the wall to try to listen to what her two lovebirds would talk about and activated her Byakugan. Naruto hadn't moved one bit since she left them, he was still cradling Hinata, but strangely he wasn't perversely leering at her sister's neckline. Hanabi couldn't decide whether that was a good or a bad sign. For one, it proved that Naruto was more of a gentleman than she thought, but his good conduct wasn't much helping the development of her sister's love life.

Huffing, dissatisfied, Hanabi pushed her bangs out of her sight with a flick of her hand. She couldn't stay hidden for too long without raising suspicion. Even if Naruto were notorious for not being the sharpest knife in the drawer, there was still a limit to one's stupidity. So she hoped that her dear sister would wake up soon enough to finish the work she had begun.

Naruto looked around the room to busy himself with something else other than the girl in his arms. He could easily picture how dangerous it would be to dare to stare at the Hyuga heiress's breasts in a house full of people who could see through walls and skulls. With such a severe father, he bet his life would be on the line for such a transgression. But there was not much to see: a single bed, a desk, a closet, and a bookcase; nothing really fancy. The room was immaculate and in perfect order like the rest of the house. The only thing that made it feel a little personal were the few pictures on the wall above of her desk. One was of her as a kid with two shabby boys, maybe her teammates as it felt similar to the one he possessed with Sakura and Sasuke. Another was of her still fairly young with her sister and her father, and the last of her as a teenager with a guy with white eyes.

' _Could he be her boyfriend?'_ The guy seemed a little older than her and he was the epitome of seriousness. Knowing her father, he would certainly have set her up with this type of guy. ' _So she, too, is already in couple..._ '

The sleeping beauty stirred in his arms and he gazed down at her as she opened her white eyes. "Hinata."

She took in her surroundings a little confused, her vision still blurry. She knew that voice by heart, she could recognize it amongst thousands. Her eyes focused on the face above her. ' _My Naruto-kun_. _Ahh! It feels like a dream. I must be dreaming – I'm in Naruto-kun's arms._ '

"How are you feeling, Hinata?" He asked and it clicked in her head.

 _'It's not a dream... I'm in Naruto-kun's arms.'_ She freaked out, her blood rushing too fast in her head and she passed out again.

"Man! She fainted again. I wonder what's wrong with her?" He touched her forehead to check her temperature. "She's a little hot. She must be sick or something... It's not surprising that Hanabi left in hurry, she must have gone searching for some medicine."

XXXXXXXXXX

Sasuke was still brooding, his back against the wall, when Sakura came back with Ino. The pinkette was looking more wan than usual as she passed a tired hand over her stiff neck, he noted. She was working too hard to find a cure for Naruto. Again, he had found her asleep on the couch with a book on her face when he woke up and then she had rushed to the lab to conduct more research on some cell cultures from Naruto's biopsy as soon as they entered the hospital. He couldn't tell her to stop as Naruto's recovery would certainly depend on her results. But still... he didn't like her pallid complexion.

"I'm going in with Sakura, do not try to come in as until we tell you to." Ino informed the Uchiha heir.

"Whatever." Sasuke grunted, not really pleased to be pushed aside. "Did she tell you what was going on?" He asked his teammate.

"No. But no matter what, I'll be Naruto's support." Sakura affirmed, determined.

Ino opened the door and instantly froze seeing that the examination table was empty. Her gaze frantically searched for any trace of the blond man and she trembled as she spotted the wide open window.

"Come on, Pig! Let me pass. Your butt is taking all the space." Sakura teased her friend as Ino hadn't moved out of the door frame.

"It's terrible! Naruto's gone!" Ino blurted in distress, turning around to face her best friend.

"What?!" Both Sasuke and Sakura shrieked in unison.

They rushed inside and looked through the window. But they couldn't spot the blonde man. Naruto could be anywhere, even out of the village.

Something dark lurked in Sasuke's heart. The bad feeling he had when he encountered Naruto's gaze before coming back full force, haunting him. He didn't like it."What happened?" He ordered to Ino, his tone dry and commanding.

"Naruto was shocked, he must have escaped." Ino trailed off.

"What did he see to make him want to escape?" He continued with the same harshness.

"Some sessions are rough on Naruto. Imagine some part of your biggest trauma falling on you without being prepared to face them. It's normal to be shocked."

"What. Did. He. _See_?" Sasuke repeated, his large figure menacingly towering over Ino.

"Calm down, Sasuke! There is no point in getting angry. First we need to find him to make sure he's safe." Sakura interposed herself between him and Ino. "We have to request the help of a sensor type ninja. It would be easier to track Naruto like that." The pinkette quickly assumed control and Sasuke stepped back, agreeing with Sakura's idea.

"We could ask Kakashi for his training dogs." Sasuke suggested.

"Oh! Kiba was admitted to the hospital a couple of days ago." Ino butted in, remembering having heard the hospital staff complain about the big dog's presence in the room. "We can directly ask him to lend us Akamaru."

Sakura hurriedly went to the nurse's desk and grabbed the patient planning to find Kiba's name.

 _Kiba Inuzuka, broken leg, room 204._

The man was lazily lying on a bed, his huge dog sleeping at his feet, when the group arrived in his room. He cracked open an eye at the abrupt entrance of his visitors.

"Yo! I didn't expect you to visit, I thought you would be too busy with Naruto to come and see an injured friend." Kiba grunted grumpily.

"Sorry to not have come earlier, Kiba. It's true that we've been really busy." Sakura apologized, wondering how she could broach the subject with the dog master without making him angry. Kiba was not one to be swayed by politeness, the best choice was to be honest. "About Naruto – we need your help."

"Huh? What about that idiot?" The dog master asked.

"He disappeared and we need you or Akamaru to locate him." Sakura requested.

"Hahaha! Still the same old prankster. He managed to fool the supervision of two Sannin level ninja while amnesiac."

"So you knew about Naruto," Sasuke said grimly.

"All of our class knows. We're friends, remember?" Kiba spat, not much liking the Uchiha's tone.

"Can you help us?" Sakura pleaded, trying to get back to what was really important right now.

"Yeah sure." Kiba sniffed the air. "He's in the southeast part of the village. From the distance, I would say the Hyuga compound." He pointed.

"The Hyuga? What is he doing there?" Sakura wondered.

"I can smell him, but I'm no psychic. For what he's doing, try looking into the third Hokage's crystal ball." Kiba joked.

"Let's go, we don't have time to waste." Sasuke urged his teammate.

"Thanks to me, bastard!" Kiba growled and Akamaru barked to accompany his master.

"Thanks for the information, Kiba!" Sakura said before leaving with Ino.

The dog master flopped down on his pillow, disappointed to be already forgotten. "Why is it only about Naruto?" He asked, Akamaru barked. "Yeah –" The dog barked again. "Ah? You also found that Sakura's smell is different…?"

 **SORRY FOR THE DELAY**

 **THANKS FOR THE REVIEWS**


	26. Chapter 26

**_THANKS TO GINA TSUKIKO FOR BETA READING THE CHAPTER_**

 _RSFan:Yes now things are unlocking and moving forwards. Thank you for your kind words_

 _Joey91731: It is painful and difficult to understand in his situation where he don't know anything of their past. Thank you for being here._

 _Guest: 'Stupid' is an interesting way to express you opinion. Can you define it more or is it just based on some biased tastes? Thanks to develop it._

 _BlindSaya:Don't worry I am an NaruSaku at core! But I am not sure you will like what will happened next ;) The dominio effect will begin soon. Thanks_

 _Skillet:Hinata is just here to mess up more the plot *evil smirk* and show how much Naruto don't even look at her. Thanks_

 _Eight heroes: Naruto have a bunch of bad memories… Thank you for your support_

 _Maxslayer10: some answer will be coming soon. Thank you for being here_

 _Aewina-chwan: Je n'aime pas Hinata, elle n'est pas mechante mais elle est tellement nunuche et inutile que j'ai envie de la claquer. La preuve, elle passe son temps a tomber dans les pommes. Les gens l'aime juste parce qu'elle a des gros seins, franchement quelle reduction de la femme! Au moins Sakura est forte et a un cerveau (enfin en theorie, parce que cette conne a voulu epousé Sasuke, j'en doute parfois). Oui Kiba a juste senti que l'odeur de Sakura avait changé mais il ne sait pas que c'est ça. MERCI!_

 _Guest: Thanks! Sakura's secret will unweil but maybe not the way you think._

 _Guest: Thank you for your support. Why should I continue to write?_

 _Guest: Thanks, at least I need a long long long break to find my motivation back. I don't like hatred and I received my share with this story. I worked for free and I received insults._

 _Sinedd662: very soon. Thank you for being here_

 _Alphadark19: I hope you will like this chapter even more ;) Thanks_

 _Slasher:I think he deserve to have his friend supporting him. Thanks_

 _WindyCitySlayer1: Thank you for your support_

 _Dpmaragoni: I will keep publishing as long as I have people reading and reviewing it. For a new work I need a long long long break to find my motivation back. Thank you for being here_

 _YeagerMeister31: You are right Sakura won't like it… thank you for being here_

 _Buanga: Thank you for your support. I hope you will continue to like it_

 _Kathami20: Thank you I hope you will continue to like it_

 _Guest: Thank you very much, I am deeply touched by your kind words. I hope you will like it until the end._

 _Michaeltop10: It was a slow developpement story to allow me to have more interaction and depth in the relation between characters. Thank you for your support_

 _Tiny tanaka: Hanabi don't know that it's Naruto child indeed. Thank you for your kind support_

 _YamiKitsune67: I hope you will like the next chapter too. Thanks_

 _Donthedarkdragon26: It is possible that he learn about the existence of the crystal ball even if the third died. People talk about what the dead were used to do or able to do. He could have heard some stories about it. Thank you for being here_ _J_

 _ThatPageantGirl: You will see what happen next. Thank you for being here_

 _blueZ44: NaruHina is just to create more mess Thank you. I hope you will like the next chapter_

 _katus293:yes this is a NaruSaku don't worry. Thank you_

 _Touken:Thank you for being here. Yes the memories comes slowly but are always hard ones._

 _Eremika:Thank you so much for your kind words. I hope how the story will continue to develop._

 _Chap 25: In the name of our friendship..._

Passing by the rooftops, the group travelled with great speed. Sasuke was leading the way at a fast pace, keeping Sakura and Ino at his heels. They arrived in front of the Hyuga's gate to be received by the stern sentinels blocking their path.

"What's the purpose of your visit?" One of the guards demanded.

Not wanting to create any conflict with the Hyuga clan, Sakura took it upon herself to comply to the Hyuga's protocol and whispered to her teammates to let her deal civilly with the sentry. She was well-known and appreciated in the clan since she treated many of their members during the last war. She doubted that it was the case for Sasuke who was still looked with mistrust.

"We came because we are searching for Naruto Uzumaki. Our source has indicated that he was here. So please let us enter to see him." Sakura sweetly announced.

"I'm sorry, Sakura-sama. But we are not allowed to let you in." The guard refused.

"I guess you don't understand the situation. It's important." She insisted.

"We received strict orders concerning Uzumaki-sama and his teammates. You can't meet with h–" The man didn't get the chance to finish his sentence as Sakura had slammed his face against the wall.

"Listen carefully." She hissed, her temper flaring up like a barbecue teased with oil. "Here is my Hokage's Order naming me as Naruto's bodyguard. This means, I have to be with him at all times. So bring me to your master and we will see if he goes against his Hokage. Understood?" She pulled a scroll out of her pouch and put it just under the guard's nose.

"Yes Ma'am!" The man yelped.

"I'm glad that we arrived to an agreement so fast. It would be bad if the Hyuga clan was labeled as traitor because of a misunderstanding." Sakura said, her tone back to a more cordial one, before releasing the guard.

Sasuke observed his teammate in silence as they followed the guard inside. He couldn't really consider her method civil, as she dared to call it, but he wouldn't deny her effectiveness which was the most important element in this mission.

However, as rough as Sakura could be, she still demonstrated good political skills as they encountered the Hyuga's head. She didn't lose her cool as she faced Hiashi's refusal to let them meet with Naruto which was proof that she knew how to compose herself when she had to. The negotiation was arduous and the clan's head inflexible, but she still managed to point out indisputable arguments to convince the man.

Sakura affirmed that Naruto was distraught due to his memory recovery, and Ino testified to it as well. Then she asserted that his distrust, as Naruto expressed it, could be sorted out with a cool head. It wasn't like team seven never had any arguments between them, but they always overcame every problem together. They were Naruto's family. And finally, she closed the discussion by mentioning Naruto's health. There was not a single medic in the five nations who could assure better treatment for Naruto than her; not even Tsunade, as she had been Naruto's personal medic this last few years and knew every little detail about his health.

Hiashi frowned, unhappy to admit that Sakura was making some serious arguments. As much as he would like to assist Naruto on his choice to stay away from his teammates, being reckless about his well-being was not an option.

"Talk to him and see if you can convince him. But he is under the Hyuga's protection and you're not allowed to force anything on him that he would not want." Hiashi declared.

The group bowed, ready to leave to search for Naruto. But the Hyuga Clan Head stopped them. "Only Haruno-dono will see him. You, Uchiha, can wait here or leave my estate."

Sasuke didn't show any particular expression on his face, not surprised by the reaction of the Hyuga's leader. It was common knowledge that the man had always been antagonistic with the Uchiha family. For now, he would bear the insult for Naruto's sake.

"I'll wait." Sasuke accepted, not without some reluctance.

"What about me?" asked Ino, hopeful.

"Your ability to possess a person's mind is quite troublesome. I told you that I refuse for Uzumaki-dono to be subjected to any form of coercive action. So I would prefer you to calmly wait for your friend's return." Hiashi declared.

Sakura followed a servant through the estate alone. The woman used her Byakugan to pinpoint the exact location of their guest and directly led her to the room he was in. All the blood left Sakura's face as the servant opened the door for her to come in. The pinkette hadn't expected this outcome. Naruto was sitting on the floor with Hinata in his arms. Hinata's obi was unfastened and it was easy to put two and two together as to why it was undone and why the dark-haired beauty was in his arms. ' _It hurts...'_

He too was shocked. He thought that it was Hanabi coming back, not that it was his teammate already finding him. How? How did she find him so quickly? What was he supposed to do?

Naruto was shocked at seeing his teammate here, but Sakura hardly noticed. Tears stung her eyes and Sakura felt on the verge of breaking. Her heart was clenched hard in her chest, so tight that she doubted it was able to beat. Her Naruto chose to be with Hinata. He had avoided her for days and immediately got intimate with another girl. The new Naruto never loved her. Her gut twisted in a vise like cramp, and she had to take support from the wall to keep her balance. She was feeling light-headed. Certainly the result of her lack of air.

' _Since when did I stop to breathing?'_ She wondered.

She wanted to control herself, to be strong, but she wasn't master of her body anymore. It was like an invisible force was crushing her from the inside. Her throat was too constricted. Her heart hurt, it hurt like hell. She was in pain. Her eyes wandered around trying to avoid the sight of her lover with Hinata. It was all blurry, but she didn't realize that it was because of her tears.

So much pain. So much that it was unbearable.

Needles were piercing her from side to side. Her legs wobbled, and her head spun. She was suffocating. Sound felt muffled in her ears, and she felt that her brain was in a sort of cotton. _'It couldn't be...'_ Her reactions were slow and everything felt completely surreal. Her mouth was open, but she couldn't breathe. Her eyes were staring, but she couldn't see. She was there without being there. Her senses slowly came back to function as if her body were rebooting after a shut down. It took her awhile to make out sounds as if she was hearing them from under water.

"Sa – kwu – wa – chan..."

She heard her name and noticed Hanabi's hand at her back to support her. She felt ashamed. Ashamed to still be so weak after all those years of training. What was the point of being the strongest kunoichi of her generation, or having the best chakra control if, she couldn't even control her own body? She forced herself to breathe. Whatever the pain, she couldn't let her feelings affect her mission. She was a full-fledged kunoichi and she needed to gather herself and clear up whatever was troubling Naruto.

"Sakura-chan!" He called her, worried.

"What's wrong, Sakura?" Asked Hanabi, uneasy at the pale completion of the head medic.

Sakura straightened up and dried her tears with the back of her hand. She had a mission.

"Don't worry. It must just be the stress from searching for Naruto." The pinkette partly lied to the Hyuga heiress. It was true that she had been stressed by it, but her tears were for something completely different.

"I'm glad that you're safe, Naruto. You know that you shouldn't have left the hospital without notice." Sakura amicably lectured him with a strained smile on her face as she restrained her emotions.

"Sorry Sakura-chan, I didn't think you would be worried." Naruto apologized. He felt bad seeing her cry just to find him. He was angry at Sasuke, not her.

"That's fine. It's all good now. We can go back home and, if you want, you can talk to me about whatever is troubling you." Sakura offered gently.

"Home..." He mumbled, pensive. Home was where Sasuke was. "I'm staying here." he announced, not meeting her eyes.

"Why? Why don't you want to come with us?"

 _Us,_ this word was so simple and yet so powerful. It mean her, her and Sasuke. It made so much sense, knowing how much she loved the guy. She was on Sasuke's side, all their secrets, those things they kept from him; she never was on his side.

For a while he didn't say a word, his eyes lowered to not look at Sakura's face. He wasn't really looking at Hinata, his head too troubled with his actual problem to look at anything in particular. But in the haze of his mind, he realized that his fingers were involuntarily squeezing the soft body in his arms. So he stood up, carrying the dark-haired beauty to her bed, and used the opportunity to put his back to Sakura. He didn't want to see Sakura's face and doubt his choice. The people he loved the most were not really his friends.

"I have nothing to do with you. Leave me alone." He declared, shutting his eyes tight.

"Please, listen to me..." Sakura insisted.

"Go away!" He screamed, his shoulders squared and his fists clenched at his side.

The servant's hand rested on the pinkette's shoulder. "I'm sorry to interrupt, Haruno-sama. But my master has been clear on the fact that Uzumaki-sama shouldn't be forced to do anything against his will. As Uzumaki-sama has formally expressed his desire to stay under the Hyuga's care, I must ask you to quietly leave him as he requested."

"Naruto..." Sakura whispered pleadingly, her heart shattering into endless small pieces.

"Go away." He repeated again, this time sounding exhausted.

"Please follow me, Haruno-sama. Don't forget your agreement with my master."

Sakura nodded, defeated. She raised her gaze to the silent Hanabi at her side. The girl looked sorry for her.

"Call me if anything happens. Night or day. Keep an eye on him at all times and ask one of your physicians to control the proper functioning of his chakra network before sleeping. I wouldn't want him to not wake up for the sake of being careless. I'll come back tomorrow to see if he has calmed down." Sakura told the youngest Hyuga heiress, her voice breaking in small tremors under the weight of her emotions.

The pinkette left, following the servant back to the main house, and Hanabi glanced at Naruto's back. He hadn't moved, he was still facing the wall with his body tensed.

"Are you sure this is what you want?" Hanabi asked and he nodded. "You know that she cares for you."

"I don't know – I don't know anything anymore." Naruto admitted. His head hurt and he was too troubled to distinguish friend from a foe.

Sakura kept her gaze low as the servant slid open the door to the meeting room. She didn't know how she could face her companions. Sasuke would certainly be angry at her. She had failed. She hadn't found the strength to force Naruto. She was feeling empty, wrecked beyond recognition. Naruto chased her away. He screamed at her as if he despised her.

 _It hurts.._.

It hurt more than Sasuke's indifference had from all those years ago. Maybe it hurt more because Naruto had always been there for her.

"Where's Naruto?" Asked her teammate.

"He refuses to see us." Sakura announced, defeated.

"That's it?" Sasuke demanded, sarcastic. "You gave up?" He stood up tall in front of her, his arms crossed on his chest.

"What could I do?" Sakura lifted her gaze, facing his reproach. Her green orbs were shining dangerously, but she kept strong to not break again. "He told me to leave... I couldn't – " Her voice wavered at the end, betraying her distress.

Sasuke frowned, noticing that she looked even paler than at the hospital. It couldn't be good to force more stress on her. "Go back home. I'll take care of him."

"What will you do, Sasuke?" Sakura questioned.

"I'm gonna make him listen to me." He affirmed, full of confidence.

"Wait, Sasuke, You can't! Not you!" Ino interjected.

"If you don't give me a valid reason, your plea is denied." Sasuke narrowed his eyes towards Ino as he challenged her to make him change his mind.

Ino clenched her fists at her side. She didn't have much choice than to reveal the reason behind Naruto's strange behavior. "You tried to kill him – In his memory. You pierced his chest with your chidori." She confessed.

Sasuke was dumbstruck; he didn't expect that. Naruto never showed the slightest animosity toward him, even after all their battles. They never talked about it and he never apologized. Even after all he did, it never seemed to have upset Naruto. His best friend had been there, constantly, holding onto their bond for both of them even when he was running away from their friendship. And now...talk about karma biting you in the back.

"It's even more my duty to go after him." Sasuke declared.

"You don't understand, Sasuke. He's shocked. He doesn't know anything from your past together. This memory was just dumped on him with no explanation as to how or why." Ino latched onto his arm to prevent him from leaving.

"So I have to remind him that we're friends through thick and thin. I'm the only one who could prove that to him." Sasuke didn't divest himself of his determination.

He moved to search for his best friend, but the Hyuga Clan Head cut him off. "If Naruto refused to see you, you agreed to leave. So don't cause more trouble than you already have and leave, Uchiha."

Sasuke stopped, his large stature imposing in his dark cape. He couldn't care less for Konoha's politics if the matter concerned Naruto. His black eyes switched to the ominous red color of his sharingan, his whole body ready for a battle.

"Sakura agreed. I never said that I would leave without him. Naruto is my responsibility and I'm here to guarantee his safety. Don't try to get in my way." Sasuke retorted, his expression completely neutral.

"Are you threatening me?" Hiashi hissed, slamming his hand on the wooden surface of his table, making his teapot and cup clatter under the impact.

"No. It's a suggestion." Sasuke answered calmly. His eyes shifted to his teammate, and a smirk stretched in the corner of his lips. "Like Sakura, I have a Hokage Order to be Naruto's bodyguard. Whatever you say, you have to respond to the order of your Hokage. Don't make things more difficult."

"If I refuse?" Hiashi pridefully upheld his position.

"Please, Hyuga-dono! I take full responsibility for him but allow him to talk to Naruto! It's a misunderstanding. I know that Sasuke is special to Naruto. I swear that you have nothing to worry about. It may be our only way to help Naruto." Sakura pleaded, bowing at the waist toward the Hyuga Clan Head.

Hiashi huffed. What choice did he really have? Either he accepted their promise to protect Naruto or he let hell swallow his clan as he was sure that the Uchiha wasn't one to hold back in battle?

"He can go. But you stay Haruno-dono. If he tries anything funny, you will be the one in charge to stop Uchiha and kill him if needed." Hiashi proclaimed.

"I will." Sakura accepted without hesitation.

Sasuke frowned, but even if he didn't want Sakura to get dragged into it, he couldn't back down now.

Hiashi stood up from his spot. "I will accompany you to see him, as the Hyuga clan will also assure the full protection to Uzumaki-dono."

The silence was heavy between the two Hyuga sisters and Naruto. Hinata had quickly woken up only to witness Naruto's disconcerted face. She'd fastened her yukata and invited him to sit on her bed. The blond man didn't decline the offer and slouched like a dead corpse on the mattress. He didn't say a word, his back bent with his head between his hands. She didn't know how to comfort Naruto, and Hanabi's muteness wasn't helping her to understand what had happened while she was unconscious.

The two girls' heads snapped up at the knock on the door, but Naruto stayed numb to the sound. Hiashi was the first one to enter his daughter's room, and the rest of the group followed. Sasuke took in Naruto's apathetic demeanor and then glanced to the pinkette. She was slightly behind, her gaze lowered to the floor and visibly uncomfortable with the confrontation. He couldn't let things drag on anymore. It was his responsibility to solve this as fast as possible for them to go back home together like a family.

"I'm sorry, Naruto." Sasuke blurted. ' _God, how hard it is to say such simple words!'_

The blond recognized the voice. He heard it loud and crystal clear. Something in his brain shifted, unloading raw emotions. A shudder ran down his skin, not from fear, but from something darker. Slowly he released his head and straightened up, making his blue eyes stare straight at the man facing him only a few feet away. _Sasuke_. It boiled dangerously. _Sasuke was here_. It boiled to the point of rupture. _Sasuke..._ His eyes turned into red slits.

In a flash, Naruto launched forward at an incredible speed. His fist collided with the dark-haired man's face at full force sending him flying backward and breaking the different walls until Sasuke crashed into the Hyuga's garden. The punch wasn't enough and Naruto jumped after his opponent, completely ignoring Sakura's plea to stop.

Naruto didn't know if he was working on instinct, if his body wasere still his own, or if he was [1] [2] [3] were possessed by something else. But he couldn't care less as his fist connected with Sasuke's gut.

"Listen to me, Naruto!" Sasuke tried to talk while evading Naruto's punches. "I'm sorry!"

 _'Sorry for trying to kill me and missing?'_ Burning chakra invaded Naruto's veins at the thought of Sasuke's betrayal. It was toxic, charged with hatred and pain, but let him feel incredibly powerful. Satisfaction washed through him as his kick smashed into Sasuke's side, sending the dark-haired man to crashing into an old tree.

It was one thing to fight with Naruto and another to just endure his wrath. Sasuke coughed up some blood as he stood just in time to dodge another hit from his best friend. He wouldn't retaliate, but it wasn't easy to defend himself as the blonde was relentlessly attacking with a velocity close to his former glory.

"Naruto. I – "

"Shut the hell up!" Naruto barked, furious, destroying the enclosing wall of he Hyuga property with a Rasengan.

 _'So he mastered the Rasengan again while I was away. He really did improve greatly in a short time span.'_ Sasuke noted. _'I should lure him outside or the Hyuga estate is as good as gone if he decides to use it more.'_

"Come on _teme_ , don't shy away from me – I'm sure you want to know what it feels like to see your _best friend_ pierce your chest with his arm." Naruto sarcastically spat as Sasuke retreated through the hole made in the wall. The blonde followed into the nearby forest, chasing after his prey, his blood lust blinding him. "Sasuke-nii-san," he sang, his gaze sharp, searching in every tree for a trace of his enemy.

His animal instinct overtook him. It was as if his senses were heightened. Naruto could distinguish every sound of the forest, recognize the whisper of the wind in the leaves to the quasi inaudible crisp of dirt at the earthworm's crawling. Nothing escaped him, not even the imperceptible movement of the stealthiest shinobi.

"Found you!" Naruto affirmed with a smirk almost predatory. He launched forward, another Rasengan ready in his hand, only to crush a replacement log into millions of splinters instead of his supposed best friend. The surprise at seeing the log nearly caused him to get caught in a trap, but Naruto still narrowly escaped the wires attempting to latch around his limbs. He jumped backward a few times in flips and found refuge on a branch.

The quietness of the moment made Sasuke think that Naruto had stopped his erratic and uncontrolled assaults. He wondered if the blond had finally vented enough of his emotions to listen. He walked forward with no concern for being plainly exposed to attacks and looked up at his best friend perched like a bird.

"Listen, it was a long time ago, a lot of things have happened in that time..."

"I trusted you!" Naruto shouted, deaf to any explanation. He was hurt, deep in his heart. What hurt the most wasn't physical. It was that his best friend had wanted to get rid of him, to discard him as if their friendship hadn't mattered.

The blonde swooped down on his best friend as a raptor descended on its prey. Sasuke prepared for the head-on confrontation, ready to absorb the impact, but his gaze widened in shock at the surprise attack from behind. He hadn't seen it coming. He hadn't thought for a single instant that Naruto had recovered so much of his ninja skills.

Sasuke realized then, as fists plunged at him from all sides, that Naruto had finally mastered completely his kage bunshin no jutsu and the transformation technique. The blond had used his retreat as a cover as he hid his clones in fake pebbles.

As much as he wouldn't fight the real Naruto, Sasuke had no qualms about annihilating the clones. He grabbed one of the clone blond's arm and threw it at another. The dirt crisped under his heels as he spun around, spitting out flames and burning the rest of them. , He escaped Naruto's punch in a back flip and blocked his kick with his forearm. It was intense. Naruto's attacks were powerful, overwhelming like only a chakra monster like him could do. they were coming endlessly. The blond was organizing more and more proficient combos worthy of his title of future Hokage.

More than once, Sasuke spat blood under the violence of the hits. Naruto wasn't holding back whereas Sasuke refused to lift a hand against his near brother. This was his punishment. The just return for his deeds. He would bear with all of Naruto's hatred until all the steam was out. He would endure as Naruto had endured it all those years ago for the sake to save him.

It was a rain of blows that fell on the Uchiha heir, making any elaborate discussion difficult in between his blocking attempts.

"I was engulfed in darkness, blinded by revenge." Sasuke continued his story, swaying from right to left, dodging the furious hits.

"What did I do to you!?" Naruto asked, destroying a tree with his Rasengan as Sasuke deflected the jutsu. "Why!? When I called you my friend..." The blonde accused him, his stare ablaze with ire.

Sasuke held the stare, not denying or making excuses for himself. He knew all he'd done. He knew it started there, that day, when he left Konoha; when he abandoned his friends and chose to walk down the wrong path. It began there, where he could have taken Naruto's outstretched hand but instead fought him.

"It's my fault." The raven man admitted. "I wanted power, ignoring that we would have been stronger together."

Naruto laughed darkly, the sound resonating in the calmness of the forest. He laughed but it carried nothing joyous. It seethed with pain instead, pain born from the gaping hole in his chest. From the place where Sasuke had pierced him with his chidori.

"So for that you've wanted to kill me..." Naruto stated, beyond hurt, kicking Sasuke with such force that even with a block the man still crashed through many trees.

"I did." Sasuke recognized, drying the blood at the corner of his lips with the back of his hand. "I did because you were the person who was the closest to me and I couldn't achieve my curse, these eyes, without cutting all bonds." He pointed to his sharingan. "I was wrong..."

"Tell you what," Naruto ran forward, followed by a group of clones as back up. "You did it! I'm cutting my bond with you." All the blonds declared, launching a simultaneous attack on Sasuke.

He deserved it. He had never really forgiven himself for all that he had done back then. So that's why Sasuke didn't try to wriggle out of the fray. The real Naruto latched his hand around Sasuke's throat. Squeezing. Squeezing. Tighter. Sasuke knew he was done for.

"I'm sorry. You're more than my best friend – you're my _family_. You saved me from myself and I don't mind dying by you or for you, as long as I die before you." Sasuke whispered in an ultimate confession, his eyes shut tight and ready to accept his fate.

Naruto gasped, the weight of Sasuke's words sending a shockwave through his being. He remembered the man staying with him when he recovered his first set of memories, the same man who came to stand in front of him when he discovered the beast inside of him and offered to sleep on the terrace with him so he wouldn't be alone.

His eyes turned blue again and his hands loosened a little on Sasuke's throat. It was so confusing. What was true? What was a lie? He didn't know anymore. It hurt to be betrayed. But why did it feel so warm to be called family by Sasuke? His head ached, the blood pounded at his temple, and it felt as if his brain were being squashed by a terrible pressure.

Sakura had bared with their fight until now, or more like the one sided beating. She stayed at a safe distance, witnessing Sasuke take blow after blow. It pained her, but she respected their strange way of solving their problems. She cringed when she recognized some nasty wounds to heal on her teammate and when her enraged boyfriend continued his incessant onslaught. She said nothing, just watching their foolish battle. But then she saw Naruto strangling his best friend, and Sasuke not doing anything to break off the hold. It was too much and Sakura decided to step in. She went between them, freeing Sasuke and immobilizing Naruto with a precise and powerful burst of her chakra into his chakra network. It was utterly effective. It shut down everything, making him unable to move a single finger even with the greatest effort.

It was an adaptive medical jutsu, transformed into a combative one by her research. It was originally used as a local anesthesia by only expert medic-nin like her, but she modified it to be able to render even the strongest opponent under her complete mercy with a simple touch. It was a great weapon, but it demanded incredible skill in chakra control and knowledge of all the ins and outs of anatomy, physiology, and chakra systems. The dosage had to be executed with utmost care as not enough would lead to the enemy recovering too quickly and too much could irreversibly invalidate or kill the subject. As for Naruto, there was another parameter not to forget: his secondary chakra paths connected to Kurama. But Sakura knew how to deal with that, too, which resulted in a complete and immediate paralysis of Naruto's body, spared his vital organs kept active at a normal functioning rate.

"Calm down, Naruto!" Sakura admonished the blond.

"Stay out of it Sakura." Sasuke mumbled to her, his throat still sore from the strangling.

"What the hell are you saying? Did you lose your mind!? Why are you letting Naruto kill you as if you couldn't escape his attack? Are you stupid?" She barked at her teammate.

The word _stupid_ irked Sasuke's nerves. But he didn't say anything about it as he was more concerned about Naruto managing to overcome the paralysis. As much as he didn't mind receiving a good beating from his best friend, he couldn't risk getting her involved in it.

"Stop interfering and leave, Sakura!" Sasuke scolded her.

"If you don't want me to interfere, don't get yourself killed! I can heal wounds, I can't revive dead people!" She screamed. "What is this about? Feeling guilty?" She punched his arm, angry with his stupidity. "How do you think he'll react when he comes back to his senses if he kills you?" She punched him again. "Do you think that he would feel happy?" She added, her fist hitting stronger with each question. "Were you really that satisfied when you killed Itachi?" She made her point, tears flooding down her cheeks. "Don't give him such a burden to carry!"

Sasuke received her punches. They hurt. She was such a brute. But what hurt the most was how right she was. She knew him better than he gave her credit for. He took his punishment from Naruto, letting his best friend unleash all his rage on him. He took all of it without defending himself, sure that it was his payback. He was fine with dying by Naruto's hands. He was fine as long as he died before him so he wouldn't have to survive another death of someone precious to him. But Sakura was right. He was selfish. Naruto shouldn't carry this sin.

Then, Sakura spun around to face Naruto. She grabbed his collar and shook his limp body like a rag doll.

"And you! Calm down and use your brain for once!" She vociferated. "Do you think you would live with someone who isn't dear to you, Baka?!" She shook him once more. "You don't know anything yet you jump to conclusions. Yes, you two both fought in the past! You fought for your own reasons and your own ideals. But I'm done with your stupid male way of talking! I'm fed up with your selfishness at leaving me behind, scared to death that one of you might die. Stop using your fists and start using your head! You are both precious to me. We are more than family. Whatever happens to one of us, impacts the whole group. That's why we went after Sasuke at that time when he fell into darkness. That's why we forgave him when he apologized. We have an indestructible bond. Understand?! "

"My head hurts..." Naruto winced in pain.

"Oh sorry! I didn't mean to harm you." She apologized.

"It's not you. It's from before. Make it stop..." Naruto pleaded.

She laid him on the ground and applied her mystic palm to his head. It wasn't a side effect of her jutsu nor a trauma from the battle. It felt completely different, as if a tumor had grown inside his skull and pressured the cerebral tissue. But instead of a real tumor, the space was empty. Sakura concentrated her energy to encapsulate the potential threat. It reminded her of her first contact with the invisible matter as she treated Naruto back in the fort. She tried to extract it, taking it as an opportunity to get rid of the remnant of the invader. Unfortunately, before she could complete the process, the thing shifted and dissolved, completely melting with Naruto's cells. It was as if the thing had a proper consciousness and remembered the first removal treatment.

Naruto sighed contentedly, he felt strangely lighter and calmer. "Thank you." He mumbled.

"Since when did you have this pain?" She asked to validate her theory.

Naruto frowned, trying to remember when it began. "After I got today's memories. I thought it was because I was upset and it became stronger when I saw Sasuke, and more during the fight."

"I see." Sakura scratched her chin. "You're not upset with Sasuke anymore?" She questioned to dig further.

Naruto pouted like a kid who wouldn't recognize his fault. "I'm angry at that bastard. But not like before. He apologized after all." His tone of voice had nothing of his previous animosity, proof that his anger was a basic formality and would be gone in exchange for a bowl of ramen.

"Hmm. So it's like that." Sakura muttered as she put the dots together. "The pain in his head was due to something pressing against some neurons, increasing his aggressiveness, and was possibly linked to his actual feelings of anger. That could explain why he reacted so strongly to the sentiment of betrayal and why he really tried to kill Sasuke..." She looked at Naruto, hopeful. "So you agree that we're all friends?" She inquired.

"Ah – yes, I suppose. I mean, if you guys want to..." Naruto hesitantly accepted, and both his friends nodded.

"Good! Let's go home and get Sasuke treated. You didn't show restraint with Sasuke's beating." She suggested, relieved that the problem was solved finally.

Sakura undid Naruto's paralysis and he stood slowly on shaky legs for the time it took for his chakra to find his normal flow. The blond glanced at the bruised face of his best friend and felt ashamed for his excessive reaction. Even if Sakura explained that it was the thing in his head that made him lose it, he had been close to killing his best friend. It wasn't much better than what Sasuke had done in the past.

"Sorry, Sasuke." Naruto extended his hand with the shinobi fraternity sign and Sasuke nodded, extending his own hand to link his fingers with him.

 ** _I MIGHT NOT HAVE INTERNET NEXT WEEK. I WILL PREPARE THE CHAPTER AND I WILL DO MY BEST TO PUBLISH IT ON TIME. SORRY IF I CAN KEEP THE DELAY._**

 ** _THANK YOU FOR REVIEWING_**


	27. Chapter 27

_**THANKS TO GINA TSUKIKO FOR BETA READING THE CHAPTER**_

 _Eigh heroes: Thank you very much. I am glad you liked it_

 _Donthedarkdragon26:Thank you very much… I wanted it to be intense. I am glad that you go pulled into it._

 _Sinedd662: It is coming very soon. Thank you_

 _BlindSaya:I will continue to pull a little more as I wan them to really feel and face their raw emotions. Thank you for being here_

 _WindyCitySlayer1:Thank you_

 _LolitaFernandes:Muito obrigado!_

 _ThatPageantGirl:Karma is a bitch and Sakura had to face it. I am so glad that you like the chapter. Thank you for your support_

 _Maxslayer10: we get clue after clue about the strange matter, but it is not solved yet. For Sasuke I found it healthy that he finally faced his deed. Thank you, I hope you will like the next_

 _Merchant Of Blue Death: I didn't expected your review as you very nicely commented on it in private. Thank you very much for deepening your thoughts again. Soon the story will unfold. But Sakura will have it rough a bit more before something nicer happen._

 _Guest: Thanks_

 _Galsgotroread: Thank you I hope you will continue to like it!_

 _Guest007:Your idea is very interesting and I would be glad to read something on this subject. Thank you for your support._

 _YeagerMeister31:NaruHina was a necessary evil. But don't worry I am a NaruSaku author only. Sasuke did deserve a good punishment. Thank you for being here_

 _HITMAN0569: Thank you very much. I hope you will like the next too_

 _Aqua Rules: Yes Sakura nearly passed out and I wanted it intense. But be ready, the next will be intense too. At least it is how I picture it in my head. I hope you will like it. Thank you for being here_

 _Tiny tanaka: He will find out about the baby….eventually. Thank you for your support_

 _Joey91731: Yeah I wanted this part raw and painful for her. I am glad that you liked. I hope you will like the next too. Thank you for being here_

 _Elarmi: Thank you_

 _Katus293: Thank you very much_

 _Nicky5535: Wait for the next chapters for your tears. I hope you will like it . Sakura is not showing yet. Thank you_

 _Dpmaragoni: It will come… It will come… Thank you for being here_

 _Guest:It will arrive. Thank you_

 _RiagaThunderGod234: Thank you, I hope you will continue to like it. Thank you for being here_

 _Guest: you will see and I hope you will like; Thank you for your support_

 _RSfan: This is when I am wondering will the next chapter be able to fulfil your expectation, to surprise you and pull you in. I hope you will like it. Thank you_

 _Aewina-chwan: Attends c'est pas fini… je trouve toujours qu'il y a une certaine beauté dans la tourmente. Pour Sakura, elle a juse failli s'vanouir mais n'a pas perdu completement connaissance et concernant Naruto, c'etait la pression lié a la matiere dans sa tete qui le faisait reagir avec agressivité. C'est pour ça qu'instinctivement il a tiré sur kurama chakra. Sur la fin avec Sakura, je la voulait Badass. Elle en a le potentiel et dans l'animé il l'a presente toujours comme un boulet. Vive le girl power!Pour le lot d'emotion, tu vas etre servi. J'espere que ça te plaira. Des bises et MERCI!_

 _blueZ44:Thank you very much. There is 5 chapters left after this one._

 _Guest: Thank you_

 _ **SORRY FOR THE DELAY, I HOPE YOU WILL FIND THAT THE WAIT WAS WORTH IT!**_

 _ **WARNING SENSITIVE TOPIC**_

 ** _Chap 26: Truth uncovered_**

They walked back to the Hyuga's mansion where, as expected of the clan of the all-seeing-eyes, everyone already knew most of the event that had happened back in the forest. The clan's head, his daughters, and Ino were all waiting outside in the ravaged garden in between the fallen tree, the rubble from the house's wall, and those from enclosure wall.

Sakura shivered at the soon-to-be severe scolding awaiting her for the action of her teammates. But there was no way around it, so she took the lead and bowed in front of the clan's head.

"I am truly sorry for the damages caused to your property. As I promised I will take full responsibility for them." The head medic announced.

Naruto came to her side and followed her example. "If you have to blame someone, it should be me. I am the one who began the fight."

Sasuke inclined his head as well, in line with his teammates. "I was the cause of it, so I am the one who should shoulder the liability."

Hiashi looked upon the three shinobi. Team seven. The ones who saved the shinobi world during the last war. They were indeed a solid team. A discreet smile stretched the corner of his mouth, relieved that his dire foreboding had not resulted in casualty. He couldn't sense the turmoil in Naruto's chakra anymore, the boy had completely calmed down and it was all thanks to his teammates.

"We, The Hyuga, can't hold you accountable for the damages as you have kept your promises and didn't use any violence against Uzumaki Naruto who was under our care." Hiashi replied. "We are glad that our esteemed Uzumaki-dono has solved his quarrel with you. We welcome him anytime in the future for any help he may need from the Hyuga Clan as we are, and shall remain, his ally." He continued, preparing the milestones of a political alliance with the future Hokage.

"We thank you very much for your magnanimity. If you allow us, we're going to take our leave." Sakura bowed again in thanks, and Hiashi graciously nodded, accepting her request.

"Magna-what?" Naruto whispered to his best friend.

"Forget it! You never knew that word anyway. It's just some politic suck up." Sasuke replied.

After a last polite bow the group left together, jumping from rooftop to rooftop, in the direction of Naruto's house. Sakura was so relieved that Naruto and Sasuke had made peace, but she couldn't stop a small part of her from being upset at finding Naruto with Hinata earlier. She could understand why he would prefer the Hyuga heiress to her. Hinata was everything she was not. Hinata was sweet and calm, whereas she was short-tempered and brutal. Hinata was beautiful, with breasts only outmatched by Tsunade, whereas she had trouble filling her bra. Hinata was a princess, whereas Sakura's family had no clan prestige. She knew all that, but it still hurt so much that Naruto had fallen in love with someone other than her.

Sakura's footing wobbled as a cramp coursed through her mid-section. She stopped, her face livid, a cold sweat running down her temple, a hand on her belly. Ino followed and halted at her level, worried by the expression of horror on her best friend's face.

"What's wrong, Sakura?" The mentalist questioned, her voice alerting the guys in front that something was amiss. They all gathered around the pinkette, but Sakura was too preoccupied to answer any of them.

A strike of panic seized the head medic. Her heart skipped a beat and the world ceased to exist. She couldn't believe it. It was impossible. Her hands checked again, assiduously searching with her mystic palm for the life within her. It was gone. Gone! What happened? Why? Why now? She hiccuped, tears falling freely from her eyes, continuing her search while pouring healing chakra for anything to be saved. It was impossible, she couldn't have lost it. She refused.

"Sakura-chan, say something!"

"Sakura, answer me!"

" _Sakura_."

She couldn't hear anything of what her friends said. Not their anxious calls nor their hands on her shoulders could reach her consciousness. She was shattered by the cruelty of her fate as she felt it, the warm liquid smearing her undergarments and inner thighs – Her condemnation – Her blood leaving with her hope and the life of her baby.

Her legs gave out, and if it weren't for the strong pair of arms latching around her waist, Sakura would have fallen to the ground. They all kept calling her, but nothing was left of her courage or her strength. Her gaze was haggard, lost on the horizon, her body now limply supported by Naruto. She couldn't respond. She couldn't do anything anymore.

Naruto was the first to notice the blood running along Sakura's legs and jolted, realizing what it meant.

"We have to bring her to the hospital." Naruto stated with urgency. Without waiting for his companions to answer, he passed his arms under her knees and carried her, jumping at full speed, toward Konoha hospital with Sasuke and Ino in tail.

It was entirely his fault. If he hadn't stressed her by leaving the hospital and involved her in his nonsensical fight. If he had listened to her when she came to retrieve him and hadn't pushed her to the brink. Maybe. Maybe she wouldn't be bleeding.

With a kick to the hospital's door, Naruto barged in and rushed toward the first medic he found. "Help her!" The village hero desperately pleaded, scaring the man with the sudden outburst.

The frightened intern quickly looked at the patient and panicked even more at recognizing the face of his boss. "Come with me!" He indicated to the blonde-haired shinobi, and then shouted to a nurse in the corridor. "Call for Tsunade-sama!"

Drops of Sakura's blood kept falling to the ground, leaving a trail behind them. Sasuke, finally catching up, understood the whole ordeal as he spotted the stains on the immaculate white floor. He stopped at the door of the examining room, not daring to enter as he heard the medic ask Naruto what happened.

"She's pregnant – Save her baby! Something isn't right..." The blonde man spurted in complete distraught.

 _'So Naruto knew about Sakura's baby...'_ Sasuke thought, feeling out of place after his discovery. He glanced one last time at the couple and retreated from the doorway to lean against the wall.

"Sakura is pregnant." Ino mumbled to herself, hearing Naruto's statement. She was shocked by the news. She hadn't expected that her best friend would keep such a big secret from her. It was unfair; unfair when they had promised to share everything together and be best friends ever.

The commotion in the corridor signaled the arrival of the former Hokage with the nurse who had gone to call for her in tow. The busty woman marched like a general with rapid and determined steps toward the examining room. Her long white coat floated around her, the folds flapping at her side like ungainly wings. She stopped at the door. Her honey gaze glanced at her apprentice lying in the bed then at the dark crow standing stationary by the wall as if waiting for him to explain the situation.

Sasuke took the cue and answered the unspoken question. "Sakura seems to have a problem with her pregnancy," he told her, knowing that she would eventually discover it during the examination. "I take it that she told you about it." He assumed, seeing absolutely no sign of surprise on her face.

"She didn't. But I've lived long enough to recognize a pregnant woman when I see one. I was waiting for her to feel comfortable enough to confide in me. Who's the father?"

Sasuke's gaze lowered to the ground, avoiding the scrutiny of the famous medic. His dark bangs covered half of his face in a shadow, and he pinched his lips in a thin line. He had made a promise not to tell, and so he would keep it to himself.

His silence irked Tsunade's temper and she clicked her tongue in irritation. The dark-haired man was as mute as a tombstone and wouldn't be coerced into revealing anything if he didn't want to. He was a hardened shinobi: stubborn as a rock and annoying as hell.

"Go and get treated! Don't wait for Sakura to take care of those wounds for you." She ordered sternly, not insisting on obtaining the information and entered the room to do all she could for her pupil. The matter of the father would come later. For now, it was irrelevant to the treatment.

Sasuke left without further insistence for once. In some ways it was the perfect excuse, as he didn't feel like to wait for the verdict on the baby with Naruto around. He wasn't good with words, he never had been. He wouldn't know what to say to comfort his best friend, knowing that Naruto knew about Sakura's child.

As expected, coming from the great Tsunade, Naruto was thrown out of the room in no time. The blond man looked around, not finding trace of the future father who had dastardly deserted Sakura's side, and addressed Ino.

"Where's the Bastard?"

"Sasuke? I guess he went to get treated. I heard Tsunade-sama ordering him to do so as to not impose on Sakura."

"Tsk!" _'He has a valid excuse.'_

"How is Sakura doing?" Ino questioned.

"She's really pale. And in a state of shock, the medic said. I hope Baa-chan will be able to do something for her."

"I hope so too..." She gave a suspicious glance at Naruto. "How come everyone knew about her but me? You, Sasuke, and even Tsunade..."

"Sasuke's the father, so sure he knew, and I just heard them talk about it... Though I don't know about Baa-chan."

"Sasuke is the father?!" Ino shouted, flabbergasted. _'That stupid little bitch! She got knocked up by Sasuke... She had sex with_ the _Sasuke Uchiha! I can't believe it! And to think that I let her have Naruto too while she was already frolicking around with Sasuke.'_ "How did you cope with it? You like her, don't you?"

"Like her or not. What difference would it make? She likes him. She always has..." Naruto looked to the side, avoiding Ino's scrutiny. He couldn't lie to her or hide anything from her. The woman knew more about him than he himself did. "I had no choice to begin with." He admitted dolefully.

"You know, I'm always free for you if you want to talk." Ino offered.

"There is nothing to talk about. I'll have to get over it someday. That's all there is to it! We're friends and I should be happy about it." He laughed with no real sound to it, rubbing the back of his head and keeping his eyes fixed on the floor.

There was this indefinable sadness behind it which made his laugh uncomfortable. Ino observed him for a while, connecting the dots of what she knew about him together. He had been bullied as a child because of the Kyuubi. He had been left alone and avoided. He suffered more than anyone she knew. He suffered and never held a grudge against anyone, because – because he thought he deserved it? Because like being Hokage, he thought he had to prove himself to be acknowledged... basically, he couldn't believe that people could like him.

 _'Aaaahhhh! Now I understand why he never realized that half of the girls in Konoha are after him. He just couldn't accept being liked without struggling for it.'_

The nurse suddenly rushing out of the room distracted Ino from her previous train of thought. The panicked expression on the woman presaged nothing good. The mentalist trembled, a cold sweat running down her back. She prayed that it wasn't what she dreaded; that Sakura and her baby were fine. Maybe the nurse was just scared of Tsunade's bad temper. It wasn't a rare occurrence that the famous Sanin frightened the medics to the point of making them lose their composure. Ino tried to reassure herself with all the possible theories involving a favorable outcome. But her hopes were dashed as the nurse came back shortly, pushing an ultrasound machine and followed by other frantic medical staffs. It was bad. From what they carried, Ino guessed that they were prepared for a surgery.

A quick glance at Naruto told Ino that even if he didn't know what the tools were for, he felt that Sakura's pregnancy was in danger. He was livid, even with his natural tan skin, anxious to the roots of his hair. If he hadn't informed her a few minutes ago that it was Sasuke's child, she would have thought that he was the real father. How much could a man love a woman to care so much for a child that was not even his?

Naruto was frozen, his gaze fixed on the closed door and his fists clenched at his sides. Ino knew he wanted nothing more than to jump in and hold Sakura's hand to give her support. She didn't need to read his mind to confirm it, she already knew him that well. She gently patted his shoulder in support, but he didn't seem to notice. His mind was elsewhere, or maybe just on the other side of the door.

It didn't take long for the door to be opened again; less than half a hour. The medical team exited the room, their expressions all grim as those who carried bad news. From over their shoulders, Ino got a glimpse at Tsunade. The famous Sanin looked so much older at that second with her haggard face, her brows furrowed in sadness and her white coat tainted in blood. Her mentor was still standing by Sakura's side, her hands glowing over the pinkette's belly, giving extra care to the young woman she considered her daughter.

Tsunade did all she could, but it was already too late. If only it had been a simple blood loss from a small tear in the placenta, she would have been able to repair the damage. But the fetus was already dead when Sakura was admitted to the hospital. It could have been dead for many hours without being noticed. The only thing she could do was to perform curettage and heal the uterus to avoid any infection. At least her apprentice wouldn't suffer from pain and her body would recover faster.

The older woman stayed until the anesthesia wore off. She saw the pinkette's eyelashes flutter and then the green unfocused gaze wander around. She held Sakura's hand as she watched her cry silently. Tsunade lips trembled, restraining her own emotions. She regretted so much to not be able to do more. She could heal Sakura's body, but she could do nothing for the emotional scars.

"Shisho..." The pinkette mumbled, not continuing her sentence. She already knew what happened. She knew it since the moment she couldn't find her baby's chakra and began to lose blood.

"I'm sorry, Sakura."

The young woman hiccupped, passing her hand connected with an IV over her belly, and covered her face with her other hand. Sakura wanted to mourn her loss. She had not only lost her unborn baby, she had also lost her last connection with the man she loved. She had nothing left to hold onto, to help her stay strong. She wanted to crumble and cry to her heart's content, cry until she felt numb.

"I want to go..." Her voice trembled. Sakura was so close to breaking down completely.

"Don't you want to rest here?" Tsunade asked gently, caressing her pupil's hair.

Sakura slightly shook her head in refusal, and Tsunade didn't dare to insist.

"I will bring you a change of clothes. I think you have a spare in your office closet. And then, I will organize your transportation, but try to rest a little for now."

"Thank you, Shisho."

Her chest felt heavy and Tsunade sighed, she couldn't do much for her apprentice. Sakura needed time, time and support, but she couldn't dare to ask her about the baby's father now. She hoped that Sasuke wasn't the one responsible for it. The man indeed had a nice face, but that was all there was to it. Without a doubt he would be poor emotional support and be mostly unreliable. She patted the pinkette's shoulder in a reassuring gesture, and then left in gloomy silence.

Naruto, waiting at the door, nearly pinned Tsunade as soon as she exited the room. His hand tightly gripped the older woman's arm. "How is she?" He asked frantically, not bothering with any form of polite speech.

"She's resting and needs to stay calm." Tsunade briefly glanced to the scrapes on his fingers, signs of a battle. She'd heard about his escape from the hospital and saw the Uchiha's bruised face. The why was unclear, but she could guess how he got those cuts. "I'll need you to follow me, Sakura will be unable to do your check-up tonight," she ordered, removing his grip from her arm.

"I'm fine. I prefer to wait for Sakura-chan here." Naruto refused, unaware of the power of persuasion of the former Hokage.

In a split second, Tsunade's fingers grabbed his ear and twisted it forcefully. "I said, come with me, now! You're one hundred years too early to contradict me."

"Aye! Aye! Baa-chan! You're tearing it off!"

"So shut up and follow if you don't want to lose it!"

"But Baa-chan! Sakura..."

"Ino will stay with her, you don't have to concern yourself." Tsunade pulled him along with her toward her office.

Passing the nurse's desk, Tsunade called over one of the medics to come with her too, still dragging the blond man by the ear. The former Hokage entered the head medic office, releasing the Jinchuuriki into a chair, and immediately went to fumble through the closet for Sakura's spare clothes. Finding what she needed, Tsunade folded the different items and put them on her desk so she could scribble some notes on a paper.

The nurse by the door didn't dare to make a single noise, her hands anxiously intertwined in front of her. She knew her boss was on edge, she had worked long enough under the famous Sanin's care to interpret the level of danger from her facial expression. She shivered in remembrance of some of Tsunade's outbursts and wondered how Shizune-san could deal with such a fiery temper for so long. If she were her personal assistant, she would have died from a heart attack long ago. Her head abruptly jerked up when the older woman called her over. She timidly approached, receiving the pile of clothes and the note with instructions for Sakura.

"And bring the Uchiha boy here once he's finished." Tsunade requested before the nurse disappeared through the door.

XXXXXXXXXX

Ino accompanied Sakura after her discharge from the hospital. The pinkette stayed mute the whole way to her house, her green gaze hollow, looking through the window of the coach prepared for her transportation. The mentalist couldn't really blame her; Sakura was shocked and possibly slightly under the effect of the anesthesia. But still, she burned to ask her thousands of questions, the first being why Sakura hadn't told her about her pregnancy. However, she bit her tongue as she noticed the tears building up in Sakura's eyes.

Arriving at the Haruno's house, Ino got down first and helped her friend, her movements limited by carrying her. She wasn't as strong as Sakura or Tsunade, but she was a kunoichi with a fair amount of training nonetheless. Sakura seemed so light in her arms, so light that she wondered if the woman hadn't lost some weight. She couldn't recognize her best friend and rival in the quiet huddled form, almost lifeless; who let herself be moved around without kicking and biting.

Ino found the key for the front door in the pinkette's pocket and pushed it open. The corridor was plunged in darkness; Sakura's parents weren't there yet even if it was already nightfall. Ino was familiar with the place, she came over often enough since the end of the war to be able to find the light switch with her eyes closed and avoid bumping into the shoes cabinet by the entrance.

With great care, the blonde woman put down her best friend and helped her out of her shoes. Sakura didn't try to protest or resist, her face turned the whole time as to avoid showing her sadness. Ino arranged her friend's sandals in the cabinet and left hers by the entrance before lifting her delicate burden again. The stairs creaked under their combined weight, and the blonde progressed slowly to spare Sakura any brisk jolts. Then, she carefully laid the pinkette on her bed.

Sakura immediately rolled onto her side, curling up and giving Ino her back to hide her face. She couldn't hold back longer. She had kept her agony to herself since Ino had entered her hospital room. She had forced herself to remain calm. But here in the security of her own room, she wanted nothing more than to let go.

"Can you leave me alone..." Sakura murmured with a wavering voice.

"You sure you don't want me to stay?" Ino softly replied.

Sakura shook her head, her shoulders involuntarily trembling.

"Should I call for your mother?" Ino inquired, but the answer was the same silent refusal. "Do you want me to prepare something for you to eat?" Again the same reply. "Sakura, is there anything I can do?" Ino insisted.

"Please, leave..." Sakura couldn't say more and already her sorrows were leaking from her every pore.

The Yamanaka heiress gently caressed her best friend's hair, regretting being unable to do more. "I'll come visit tomorrow. Rest well."

XXXXXXXXXX

It was already quite late when the medic finished with his wounds. The man was nothing close to Sakura's skills. As annoying as his teammate could be, Sakura was a first rate medic and would have dealt with his injuries in less than a third of the time that this man had. Sasuke unhappily grunted, rubbing his still sore ribs and marched toward the head medic office as instructed by the nurse who informed him of Naruto's location and Sakura's departure to her house.

One sharp rasp on the door was all he did to indicate his presence, but it was enough to be acknowledged as the feminine voice invited him to enter. He found his best friend sitting on a chair in front of the head medic desk while Tsunade signed some paperwork. The older woman lifted her nose from the report she was reading at the new arrival.

"You sure took your time." She nagged him in pure habit.

"You should complain to your staff." Sasuke replied, walking in casually.

"Naruto told me about your fight and what Sakura found out. But there is no trace of strange activity in his brain. So he's clear to go." Tsunade informed. "Take him away before I have to sedate him. He's been grumbling for the past hour for me to let him leave."

"Hnn." Sasuke nodded and turned to the pouting blonde man. "Come on! Let's go home."

Naruto jumped to his feet, not needing to be told twice, and the two men left with the shortest farewell possible. The blond was walking at a brisk pace through the hospital corridor, his brows furrowed in concern, and Sasuke guessed it was because of Sakura. It was not that he himself wasn't concerned about his teammate. It was just that there wasn't much he could do for her. She had gone back home with Ino, as the nurse had told him, and he wasn't exactly the comforting type of man anyway.

"We can have some ramen on our way back home." Sasuke offered to distract Naruto from his worry. Ramen wasn't his favorite food, but he could make an exception once in a while.

Naruto abruptly stopped, staring daggers at his best friend. His blood was boiling in his veins, so close to punching the lights out of the freshly mended face.

"We're going straight home! How can you talk about ramen when Sakura is alone at home?"

"Sakura is at her house. Her parents are certainly with her; there's nothing we can do." Sasuke replied calmly, withstanding the furious glare of the blond, unfazed.

"So you're doing nothing." Naruto stated disappointed.

"I'm not that type of person. If she wanted to be with us, she would have gone to our home. Instead she preferred to go back to her place."

Naruto tightened his fists, his jaw clenching more with each word that Sasuke coldly uttered. The reasoning made sense, but he couldn't accept it.

"You're wrong!" The blond spat, and dashed at full speed not waiting to hear anymore unwanted arguments. His heart was settled. He couldn't leave her alone. He couldn't when he remembered her horror stricken face and her tears helplessly falling from her eyes. There was no way she could be fine just like that.

 _Turn right and then straight to the bakery shop, take the second on the left and pass the flower shop._

Naruto clearly remembered the way he took with her to visit her house. All the shops were closed now and it was easier for him to navigate through the streets as they were emptier than usual. He arrived in front of her door. The light was on on the ground floor, and Sakura's room was turned off, but something deep down told him that she was in her room. As he didn't want to confront her parents and justify his presence at the late hour, he jumped straight to her balcony. Approaching her window, Naruto listened to the sound inside. It was so feeble, a discreet whine, that if he hadn't paid attention he would have missed it. But he was sure of it: she was crying alone in her room.

Discreetly, Naruto knocked on the window and whispered. "Sakura-chan, it's me... Sakura-chan, are you ok?" ' _'Of course she isn't!'_

He heard her gasp and shift around. Her voice sounded muffled as if she were talking through her hands. "I-I'm fine. Don't worry..." She managed to utter without sobbing. She was quite proud of herself, in her state she hadn't even thought she would be able to not break in a complete mess at hearing Naruto's voice.

Her answer didn't convince him and instead of retreating, he pushed her window open. The room was bathed in darkness and just the gentle light coming from the moon was entering the place. His heart tightened in his chest at the sight of her; her petite form crooked like a wounded animal on her bed. She had lifted her head out of her hands at the surprising sound of the opening window. The pale silver rays danced on her face, cutting her features with the edge of the night shadow. Even in the dim light he could discern her big eyes brimming with tears and the small drops running in an incessant race down her cheeks.

He didn't need to see more, he didn't need to think, actually. His body moved on it's own and he sat at her side. His arms wrapped themselves around her, cradling her in his lap and keeping her close to his chest. She was so small, so frail at that instant that he wanted to take all of her pain upon himself and carry it for her.

"I'm here, Sakura-chan, I'm here..." Naruto murmured, his lips on her hair, his arms tightly holding her to not let her fall apart.

She was stunned. It was so simple and yet all that she needed. Him.

It was in the curve of his smile where she made her home. There was no other place for her to live than with him. There was no one who could give her strength like he did. She lay lulled in the security of his embrace. She closed her eyes knowing that he was there no matter what; that in his eyes she would find all the certitude she needed to give her best and walk forward. That's why she couldn't let him go even if all hope disappeared. She couldn't lose him, too, or it would mean that she would lose herself.

Instinctively, she pressed herself more into his warmth, her hands desperately clutching his shirt. She could be herself with him with no facade or pretense, and she let go of all that she had kept bottled up for so long; all her fears and her despair. Her shoulders quivered under her unrestrained sobs, tears drenching the material of his shirt. She wept like a kid, with no care for her appearance. She was so sad, so sad to have lost their child that she could die from it. But he was here, so she held onto him with all the strength she had left like a shipwrecked sailor holding onto the last board of her boat for dear life. Naruto was her unwavering support and as long as he was here with her, she knew that she would be able to pull through anything.

"I'm here, Sakura-chan..." He repeated soothingly, now gently caressing her back to try to calm her.

His heart writhed to hear her cry so openly. There was no sound more painful than her heart-wrenching wail. She was so vulnerable, completely defenseless in front of him. He couldn't remember a day since he'd known her where she hadn't tried to be strong. From the very beginning, she had been by his side, keeping everything in. He would have preferred her rage and her wrath than to face her desperation. If only he could help her. Do anything for her. Take a bit of her suffering. Hold her hand or carry her. Do something, anything...

Naruto heard her mumbled his name – Again. Her fists clenched, nearly tearing his shirt. He felt her tremble in agony, burying herself in his chest. And all he could do was hold her close, his arms securely wrapped around her delicate form. It was all he could do when he wanted to be so much more for her. He wanted to give her everything he was, everything he had, just to lighten her strain.

He felt her move her head a little, stretching her neck to reach his shoulder. He sensed the warm drop of her tears falling on his skin at the base of his collar and they burned his soul. In silence, he mourned with her, accompanying her grief with his own tears, staying strong and steady as his gut twisted in compassion. He couldn't comprehend the vastness of her sorrow, he couldn't even imagine the pain of losing a child as it wasn't his. But just her sadness was enough to pierce him straight to the heart.

"Naruto..." She whispered, her breath tickled the sensitive skin of his neck and he acknowledged her call, bending his head to face her.

Her big green eyes stared up at him, glistening with pearls of water on her long eyelashes. Slowly, almost hesitantly, her hand rose to brush his cheek. Her thumb gently caressed his skin while she stared, mesmerized, by the fascinating shade of his blue eyes. She needed him more than anything else. She needed his comfort, his caring self. She needed his support to survive this terrible death.

"Naruto..." It was almost a prayer.

He didn't say anything, obediently waiting for her order. Nothing else existed but her. Nothing. Not the dark room bathed in the shy moon light, nor the rest of the world outside. _She_ was his everything. He'd been meant to exist for her sole purpose, to be here with her at that instant. At that instant when she needed him the most. He didn't need to know more about her, or himself. In her desperate eyes, she held all the answers.

He loved her more than life itself.

Her gaze lost their focus and swiftly glanced at his slightly parted lips. She could feel the ghost of his breath on her face. He was so close that she could nearly touch him. So close, if only she could indulge herself, drink at his lips the source of all her strength. Would her battered heart heal? Would her body recover an essence to breathe? Would she find a reason to live? Her hand pushed on the back of his head, bringing it toward her, making his lips so temptingly available. He didn't resist, instead accompanying her movement as if he knew what she really wanted, what could mend her broken heart.

Their lips touched, unfathomably softly, uncertain, full of fear and apprehension. The contact was maddening, like a jolt of electricity coursing through their veins. It didn't take more than a split second to toggle, like a switch turned on, to an unbearably heated passion. Their mouths crashed against each other, avid and demanding, their tongues dancing fierily in a complex choreography. She devoured him as much as he devoured her, impetuous and impatient.

Her heart pounded in her chest, finally alive after so long, mending its pieces together. She kissed him with all her pain and all her hope, completely abandoning herself. She couldn't hold back anymore. She was too desperate by his mere presence; by the fact that she had just lost their child, by the fear of having lost him too. It was too fresh and too real to not overwhelm her. Her hand gripped his shoulder with fervor, keeping him just for herself. She needed to feel him; to sense his pulse, his warmth, his body under her palm. She needed to be sure that he was here with her. He was the only one she needed, and she felt that she would fall into the pits of hell if it weren't for him being by her side.

Naruto gasped, taking a lump of air in between kisses. He could feel his body becoming hotter and hotter. He could felt her soft curves pressing against his chest, not making it easy to have any form of rational thought. Sakura charged at him, capturing his lips in another lock, not letting him recover his breath completely. There was something incredibly cold mixing up with the scorching sensation of her kiss. The blond was having some difficulty to ascertain what it was with his head being a mess of lust. All he could do for now was to answer her passion with the same eagerness, his arms tightening around her body as if to make himself one with her.

Her fingers sneaked into his blonde hair and she gripped his locks in her fist. Her tears were escaping from her now closed eyes, running down her cheeks and falling freely on their molded bodies. He was all her hope, the only one who could save her from her sorrow. She clung to his lips like the dying clung to life, her mouth moving against his with pure desperation. Naruto was her life-line. She couldn't let him go, let him walk out of her life. She was selfish, she'd always been, and she couldn't let him be with anyone but her. Even if he stopped loving her, even if she had lost their baby, he was still her man, her love.

The first drop fell on his collarbone, followed by a few more. This observation rang a bell in the back of his head. Suddenly, his worry rose, wondering if she was hurting. Putting aside his immediate urge to succumb to his carnal desire, Naruto broke the kiss off with some difficulty as Sakura was following him blindly. He took a short distance, looking at her from above, keeping her in his arms as she tried to pull his head down toward her for access to his lips.

Naruto looked at her and a pang resounded in his ribcage. He could faintly distinguish a blush on her cheeks. Her lips were swollen, offering to be kissed. But all in all, her face was basked in tears, and her eyes shone with heavy sadness. In his love for her, he let himself take whatever she gave him. In his blindness, he indulged himself to think that his feelings were reciprocated, when she was drowning in her grief. She lost her child today, and all he did was take advantage of her weakened state.

Disgusted by his actions, Naruto hastily set her down on her bed and stood up to keep his hands off her. Sakura called him, stunned and alarmed, and his heart clenched in his chest at her quivering voice. He was truly despicable. He wasn't even worthy of being called her friend. He couldn't help her, and worse, he had used her for his own end.

He was completely confused, his emotions scattered and illogical. Trying to calm his nerves, Naruto stepped outside to her balcony. The dark shadow of his best friend loomed over him from the rooftop and just the sight of him kindled a sort of fury in the blonde's head.

"You Bastard!" Naruto roared, rushing forward to punch Sasuke in the face. _'If it weren't for your stupid cold attitude toward her.'_

The Uchiha heir dodged the fist, not really eager to go back to the hospital for another healing session with an incompetent medic. "What did I do this time? Did you remember something else?"

"It's not only about me. How can you do that to her?" Naruto shouted, his kick being blocked by the raven shinobi.

"I didn't do anything to her..." Sasuke defended himself.

"Yeah, exactly, you didn't do anything, Bastard! How can you do nothing when she just lost your child!?"

This time, Naruto's fist hit his best friend square in the jaw. Not that Sasuke didn't see it coming, but more than that Sasuke was too stunned by the blond's speech to move out of the punch's trajectory. So the blow sent him crashing onto another rooftop, and the next thing he saw was Naruto towering threateningly above him.

"It's not my child, Dobe!" Sasuke affirmed, drying the blood at the corner of his lips with the back of his hand.

"Don't try to lie to me." Naruto cracked his knuckles, ready for another vindictive punch.

"It can't be my child when I never even touched her and never even kissed her." Sasuke affirmed.

"But I heard you two talking."

"Idiot!" The Uchiha heir said, spitting some blood on the side. His jaw was still sore from his previous fight and the repair far less efficient than those made by Sakura. He was going to be badly bruised tomorrow. "I bet you didn't listen until the end to be spouting such nonsense."

The blond stopped his arm mid movement, his rage stalled by the announcement. It was true that he had left, but it didn't change much. Sakura was madly in love with Sasuke, it had always been like that.

"Who is the father if it's not you?"

"It's not me, that's all I can tell you." Sasuke replied, dusting his pants off as he stood up to face his best friend.

Naruto searched his mind for who it could be if it weren't Sasuke. Sakura wasn't exactly close to any man except from team seven. He frowned, remembering Sai using her clothes. The guy was irritating, but from afar, with the eyes squinted, maybe he could look somewhat like Sasuke.

"Is it Sai?" Naruto questioned, and this time he heard the beginning of laughter coming from his best friend.

"Are you blind or does your idiocy really have no limit?"

"Bastard!"

Sasuke calmly extended his hand in front of him to stop any possible blow to come. "It's not me, nor Sai. But if you want to know more, there is only one person who can answer you. Didn't you say that you wanted to stay with her?"

Naruto, shameful, looked to the side, all his bravado gone. "I did, but I'm not the right person for the job, I guess."

"And why is that?" Sasuke probed further. He knew very well what had transpired in the room. He had gone to wait on the rooftop when he caught them kissing each other passionately. Actually, he had thought that he was going to spend the whole night there, as he imagined Naruto would have spent the night with her.

Naruto fidgeted, uncomfortable. "I did something bad." He admitted.

"Mind telling?"

"I took advantage of her." Naruto mumbled, ashamed.

"Pff. Sakura's not the type of girl that can be taken advantage of."

"What do you know? She just lost her child and I exploited her vulnerability." Naruto replied angrily.

"Do you really think that she would kiss just anyone?"

"But..."

"This is what I hate the most about talking with you; you're too slow to figure things out."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean that you left her crying, didn't you?"

Naruto nodded, avoiding the irritating knowing gaze of his best friend.

"She kissed you and then she cried when you left." Sasuke stated the obvious.

"No, she was crying even while kissing." Naruto argued.

"I guess she was the one kissing you, and in fact, didn't want you to go."

"Sasuke?" The blond didn't want to understand.

The last Uchiha sighed, exhausted. "You love her, so go! Be with her..." It was almost scary to see that his best friend would, with or without his memories, fall for the same girl all over again. It was nearly unavoidable, as if fate had tied them together.

Naruto hesitated, his feet rooted to the spot. He couldn't accept his best friend's logic so easily.

"Can't you hear her crying from here?" Sasuke added. "Will you let her cry alone?"

Sasuke Uchiha wasn't known for being the most eloquent person in Konoha. But that night, the Uchiha heir surpassed all his records in speech giving and landed the final blow to his best friend's self-doubt. In no time, the blond had vanished in a swirl of wind, and the corner of Sasuke's mouth rose ever so slightly. ' _They really are a pair of annoying idiots.'_

 **THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE… I HOPE YOU LIKED THE CHAPTER**

 **PLEASE REVIEW AND LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU THOUGHT OF IT**


	28. Chapter 28

_**THANKS TO GINA TSUKIKO FOR CORRECTING THE CHAPTER**_

 _Sinedd662: Thank you!_

 _Guest: Thank you. I will update next week_

 _YeagerMeister31: Don't worry Naruto knows it is not Sasuke's baby. Sassuke clarified this point in the previous chapter. Thank you for being here_

 _Aewina-chwan: prepare ton paquet de mouchoir et enleve ton mascara, on continue dans l'emotionnel. Non tu m'es pas horrible pour aimer le dramatique ou sinon je serais pire vu que je suis celle qui l'ecris. Pour le prochain citron ca va etre different de ce que tu penses ;) je te laisse la surprise. Ne meurt pas en attendant… J'aime trop les gens comme toi. Sans les personnes comme toi j'aurais brulé cette fic et toutes les autres. MERCI D'ETRE LA._

 _WindyCitySlayer1:Thank you! Yeah Sakura suffer a lot in this chapters._

 _Beowulf: I am truly sorry, I didn't notice that I didn't give a proper reply to your review on chapter 25. To answer your question, I did plan a t the beginning to give back some karma wheel to Sakura and make Naruto remember. But as the story was going on and the reader were complaining. I lost interest in writing more and made the story shorter. So there won't be a chapter on Naruto remembering Sakura misbeavior towards him. But I think she suffer quite a lot in this chapters and story to make up for her childish nastiness. Thank you for reminding me to answer you. I hope you will still like the story._

 _Alphadark19: did you laugh or did you cry? Thank you very much! I wanted this chapter and the next to be emotional. They are the conclusion of the long and slow burn of misunderstanding._

 _Donthedarkdragon26: Yeah I wanted it to be difficult. I wanted it to be rich in emotion. To tear them up and show you their deepest feeling, raw and true. I am glad that I made you tremble with them. The fact that you can identify yourself to them made it even more strong for you. I never experience miscarriage but from what I read in the net, it is very hurtful for both the parents and I am sorry for you. However it can happen pretty often in the first three month and woman can recover more or less easily from it and have another try. Thank you for sharing your feeling. Thank you very muuch._

 _SeparatedUnion: indeed, it's sad. Thank you for being here_

 _Zue watanabi:keep some tissue paper for the next chapter too. Thank you!_

 _Kathami20: what metaphor would you suggest instead; I found the sea related thing to be a good image to represent the power of her despair and her helplessness in front of it. (if you ever get stuck in a ragging storm at sea, you will see that you can do nothing than hold tight to the ship)_

 _Maxslayer10: yes baby life matter, it is true but parents lost unborn child in the first few month quite often (related to the statistic, I never experience it myself). I had a friend she had a miscarriage and soon after got pregnant again. It is sad but life continue. I let you read to find out how things turn out. Thank you for being here._

 _Basicallyadino: I know the feeling to read in public, I had sometime some burst out because I forgot that there was people around. I wanted this chapter to be emotional. It bring a form of closure to the long and slow burn of misunderstanding. All the previous chapter were bringing slowly clue after clue that it might happen. Sakura taking half of a treatment to avoid pregnancy, her being stressed, her being tired and then the shock with Hinata. I did include a warning as you suggested "warning sensitive topic", I hope it is enough. Thank you for being here, I hope you will like the next one too._

 _Narusakufanficfan1: Thank you very much. Sometime you need to lose something to gain something else._

 _BlindSaya:It is indeed a twist but I left many clue here and there to lead to this conclusion. I hope it will be worth your wait and that you will like it. Thank you_

 _Slimstats:The relationship started fast to just let the place to a slow psychological development. I am glad that you like it. Thank you for being here_

 _Guest:I hope the wait wasn't too long. You will know how it unfold in this chapter. I hope you will like it. Thank you_

 _Aqua Rules:Sasuke don't talk often, but he is a smart guy and I think he really want Naruto happy. Thank you for being here._

 _Mangafreak1997: I hope you didn't get scolded for your scream. I am glad that you liked it. Thank you for being here._

 _HeliosBlaze: Will you believe me if I tell you I planned to kill it since the beginning? It is to pull out the deepest and raw emotions. I hope the ice cream was good. Thank you for your support_

 _Jani Beccharelli: It will go lighter soon… Thank you_

 _Joey91731: prepare another pack of tissue paper for the next too. Thank you for your support_

 _UzumakiDavis27:Thank you so so much! I am so glad you liked it._

 _Katus293: Finally narusaku, the story is unfolding slowy but I told you about the pairing. Be ready for the next chapter. I hope the wait wasn't too long. Thank you for being here_

 _Elarmi:Thanks_

 _blueZ44: I didn't intended to have this chapter rushed. I really thought about it for a while to make it. I tried to balance between the action and the emotion. Which part did you find rushed? Do you have any suggestion to make it better? Thank you_

 _dpmaragoni:Yeah, it was my way of clearing it up… one misunderstanding less. But for more answer, I think you will find them in this chapter. I hope you will like it. Thank you for being here_

 _burninghell:thank you very much. I hope you will continue to like the story._

 _Buanga: I am sorry, I don't know much about the manga artist project. I might not be the best person to answer about Naruto. I just watched the anime 2 years ago, I didn't follow much about it after that. Unfortunately as this website is full of crapy people who insult me by PM or in reviews, I can't share openly my contact info in public. I am originally from France._

 _Sakura Haruno 1010: Thank you for your comment, I hope you didn't give up until now._

 _Eight heroes: Thank you for being here! I hope you will like the next too._

 _Slasher: Thank you very much! I hope you will like it until the end._

 _Touken: Thank you very much for being here. I am glad that you liked it. Indeed Naruto will soon find out, I hope you will like their reaction._

 _Guest:It was maybe not shina ;) Thank you_

 _Guest: YAAAY… ? In a positive way? Thank you_

 _Marshmallow: Thank you very much, I hope you will continue to like it._

 _RSfan:I was waiting to see your name and see your reaction :) I am so glad that you liked it. Thank yiou for being here_

 _ThatPageantGirl:I think that Sasuke would never have married Sakura if Naruto didn't marry Hinata first. I am so glad you like the chapter. Thank you for your support._

 _Chap 27 Desperate measures for desperate situations_

When Naruto appeared in the frame of her window, he saw her sitting in the same position as when he left her. Her face was a mess, crunched in sorrow and the tears wouldn't stop falling, running until her chin and dripping continuously onto her lap. She stared at him, lost, feeling as if her heart was on a roller-coaster. She had thought he wouldn't come back and she didn't know if she could stand to have her hopes up at seeing him here.

Naruto approached nonetheless. His steps were insecure, as if he weren't sure if he could dare to enter. She didn't move, eyes fixed on him, only her lower lip trembling as she restrained her sobs. Naruto paused in the middle of her room, a few feet away from her bed. He felt his heart clench at seeing her distressed, so much so that every beat racked the organ. Was it because of him? Did he make her suffer more? Was it wrong for him to be here? His eyes averted their gaze, looking at the floor, and slowly he took a step back.

"Naruto."

He stopped all retreat at the sound of her pleading voice, and his gaze lifted toward her. She was extending her hand as if to grab him. He waited, his throat constricted, swallowing with difficulty, suspended between his guilty conscience and his desire to stay with her. What should he do? What was right and what was wrong? He wanted to take her hand...

"Naruto..." She repeated imploringly, leaning forward, her fingers stretching as if to try to brush the bottom of his shirt. She couldn't let him go. She would not stand it if he left her again.

Hesitantly, his hand reached for hers, gently intertwining their fingers. His heart tingled at the contact and he let her pull him toward her, his step slow as to not rush things. He didn't want to make her uncomfortable and even less to hurt her. Sakura tugged at his hand and he complied to the silent request, sitting by her side in mute companionship. Should he try to say something stupid to make her laugh? Should he smile and pat her head affectionately? Could he hold her tight...?

He hadn't needed to ask as she threw herself at him, her arms latching around his torso abandoning all reservations. She wouldn't let him go even if he begged her to. She couldn't lose him, it was too much.

"Don't leave, please..." Sakura mumbled, her face buried in his chest.

His hand hesitantly rose and caressed the top of her head. His heart was beating loudly, violently crashing against his ribcage as if it'd gone wild. He didn't want to leave, but was it alright for him to be with her? He looked at her lovingly, enjoying even in his doubt the silkiness of her hair. If only he could do something to make her suffering more bearable. Naruto felt her hold tighten around his body as if she were afraid he would run away. He smiled tenderly as he found her incredibly adorable in her needy behavior to be reassured. Didn't she know that he would obey any of her commands? That he would do the impossible to try to make her happy? He loved her that much, and whatever she decided, he would abide by it. Be it as a shoulder to cry on or a sandbag to vent her frustration, he would stay, even if it were just as a friend, for as long as she let him be by her side.

"Naruto...I love you." Sakura faintly confessed between sobs.

Even if she had thought that she should let him be what he wanted, that he should decide for himself without burdening him with sentiments which weren't his anymore, she couldn't keep her feelings to herself. She knew she was being unfair to him, that it was unfair to tie him to someone he didn't love. She knew she shouldn't. But what else was left for her now that she had lost their child?

Sakura felt him stiffen at her confession, his hand stopping its light stroking, and she immediately regretted letting the words escape. She dreaded his rejection and prepared herself for the worst, holding her breath as if it would buy her some time, as if it could help her better endure when he would tear her heart apart.

It didn't come. It never did.

Naruto processed the information. He took his time with it. As Sasuke would say, Naruto was irritatingly slow to understand. He gaped like a fish out of the water, the air forced out of his lungs, not knowing how to breathe anymore. His brain had short-circuited, smoking from overload.

 _'Sakura doesn't want me to go..._

 _Sakura is holding me..._

 _Sakura loves him..._

 _Sasuke isn't the father...'_

"Were we lovers before the accident?" Naruto heard himself ask, as if he weren't really the one who had managed to utter the question that burned his lips.

She didn't reply, hiding her face in his chest. She didn't reply but she refused to release him. Her fingers twitched instead, wanting to secure their hold, wanting to keep him for herself. She was too selfish and he was too kind. She had been unfair to him and she could only now bite her tongue. But he insisted.

"Was it my child?"

His voice was soft and she shivered at admitting it out loud; at telling him when it was too late, when the only thing left was the pain of its death. She had just spouted about herself in the heat of the moment. She didn't want to involve him in her grief. She should deny it, free him. But she couldn't bring herself to refute his paternity. So she stayed silent, hoping that the doubt would be enough to spare him.

His hand came to brush her jaw. With an infinite gentleness he searched for her chin, lifting it up to be able to look her in the face. His gaze was tender and serious, a myriad of blue swirling in the depth of his irises. His other hand joined in, working on destroying all her defenses. His warm palm rested on her cheek with his thumb smoothly stroking her skin.

She didn't speak, even with her heart straining to confess.

"Tell me, Sakura-chan." He insisted, his voice sweet as an enchanting spell.

She didn't speak even as she drowned in his gaze, bound by his care and his tenderness.

His hand abandoned her cheek to glide with a velvet touch to her forehead. He pushed her pink locks out of the way ever so softly and lovingly kissed her forehead.

"Was it me?" He repeated in a murmur, his lips brushing her skin as he spoke the words.

It was cheating, plain cheating! He was being unfair to her. How was she supposed to hold strong in her devastated state if he used such dirty tricks against her? She wanted nothing more than to melt in his embrace, to scream at him how much she loved him, to tell him everything.

 _'Yes it was you! We made love. It was our child! It was our love!'_

Sakura kept her mouth shut, her lips quivering dangerously. She trembled with all her being and her tears redoubled at the rush of emotion. It was so hard on her, so hard that she thought she would break.

He felt her body shake and Naruto straightened his head to look at her. He hadn't intended to make her cry more by asking her if he was the father of her child. He just wanted it to be him.

"Sorry, Sakura-chan! I didn't mean to pry into something so troubling. It's just that it would have been nice if it were me...ya know? If we were together, and... If I were the one – Forget it! I don't mind! Even if I'm not the father, I love you all the same... It doesn't change anything, I'm okay with it. I love you!" He blurted, panicked, trying to make her understand that even if there was another man in her life he would still love her and be there for her. "You can count on me, whenever – I'll be by your side for as long as you want me to be." He wrapped his arms around her to console her and murmured in her hair. "I don't want to make you sad. I'm sorry, Sakura-chan."

She clutched his shirt, pressing herself even more against him, her sobs rocking her frame. She was so torn; torn between sharing her burden or misleading him into thinking that she loved someone else. She didn't want to lose him, not if he loved her.

"I love you, Naruto. Just you! Nobody else..." She let go, shivering down to her bones at admitting it out loud.

His hold tightened, the truth sinking in. Sakura was his and his alone. He didn't know how he felt for the child they lost as he didn't identify it as his until now. Part of him was sad, for sure, as he would have been elated to have a family with her. However, for now he had to keep his own grief bottled up as all that mattered was to support the woman in his arms.

His lips sowed kisses as one would sow flowers: generously, delicately, some in rows and others separately with a whole different care. He covered her hair, her forehead, her temples with kisses, each one of them showing how much she meant to him. He kissed the wet trails on her cheeks, tasting the salty drops of her sorrow. He tasted them without understanding their depth nor knowing how to stop them. Naruto slowed his rhythm, approaching her mouth. He wondered if he could dare to venture into this sacred territory. The kisses lingered more as he went closer, the tension growing between them, charged with electricity. Each kiss was even more smoldering than the previous one, and by the time he reached the corner of her mouth the attraction was palpable.

Naruto didn't take the next step as Sakura beat him in speed. She launched herself at him, locking onto his lips with hers. His body toppled backward, her thighs straddling his midsection while she hung her arms over his neck with delirious passion. The kiss was ardent, as only a kiss bearing the weight of death and the hope of life could be. She completely abandoned herself, greedily relishing in the softness of his lips.

Sakura slanted her lips against his with the need to feel him, to be one with him. She was overwhelmed with a tempest of emotions, despair and love mixing together in a kiss to quench the hole made in her chest. The kiss was hungry. It didn't have anything mellow about it, on the contrary, it was rough and fiery. Her tongue swept into his mouth, searching the contact for her partner, and he didn't withdraw. He was right here with her. All of his being offered.

His hands roamed over her body, discovering anew her delicious curves. His palms traveled over every slope and every hill. He followed the roundness at the berth of her breasts, delightedly appreciating their absolute perfection. Teasingly, his fingers danced, swaying from right to left on her back, engraving in his mind her image with extraordinary accuracy, as if he were a blind devote touching the shape of his deity to keep her in his memories. Sneaking underneath her top, he continued his research, learning with the pulp of his ring finger that the small of her back was graced by lovely dimples. His hand went up and down, always wanting more and more.

Caresses as soft as velvet imprinted his mark on her whole body. They burned, passing in a trail of fire. Sakura arched like bow, her spine elastic as his fingers drew an imaginary seal on her skin. Her boiling blood coursed through her veins, setting ablaze every fiber and every cell in her flesh. She wanted him. She wanted him with imperious desire. She needed to feel him, to touch him and be touched by him.

She hung onto his neck, pressing him towards her, jealously keeping him close. She kissed him with hope. She kissed him with despair and madness. She kissed him with sadness for the child that she lost. She kissed him with rage for all the times he avoided her. She kissed him with passion as he accepted her love. She kissed him with all her jumbled emotions and she would find a thousand other reasons just to keep kissing him.

She barely gasped for air, just enough to not suffocate, before swooping onto his lips once again. She was completely intoxicated, drunk and delirious like someone quenching their thirst with sake after a trip through the Suna desert. One hand clutched his blond locks, keeping his head close and his lips available, while her other hand slithered from his large and strong neck to his chiseled chest. Her hand passed over his pectoral, enjoying the firmness under her fingers. It stopped in that instant, feeling the erratic and powerful beating of his heart.

His heart, like hers, was beating fast. They were alive. They were together. That in itself was a miracle. It was enough. She could survive anything if he was with her. She could endure and stand up if he held her hand. She could struggle and win, learn to be strong as long, as she could rest in his embrace. Her tongue rolled around his, their mixing saliva creating an exhilarating chemistry. There must have been some magic spell to it to make her mind blank and her body aflame. They shared their breath, too avid to really let go of the other, their mouths intertwining again in the next instant with even more fervor under a magnetic attraction.

Sakura was his weakness, he had always known that. Her body above his was the most delicious torture a man could ever dream of. Her lips carried honey from heaven and her skin was as silky as the feather of an angel's wing. He could never get enough of her. He would, if he weren't struggling hard to stay in control, devour her entirely. He would kiss every inch of her, bite and lick her tempting pearly skin. He would graze his teeth against her delicate neck, suck at her pulse to feel the beat of her heart and enjoy the shiver in her aroused flesh.

She was his drug, powerful and terrifying. Without even trying, she had a complete hold on his being. Naruto was lost with no word to describe what he was feeling; even 'love' sounded vapid, lacking of power and passion. He was spellbound, a voluntary prisoner of her charm. He had no will to escape or to ever be free again.

Each swing of her tongue would send his head spinning. Her hand on his chest pushed his heart into delirious frenzy. His body was no longer his own, craving for her touch, molded by her hands. It burned from inside-out. His body was too small for his blazing desires. He could feel the pressure bubbling under his skin, growing, pushing, stretching with such force that he was close to exploding. She was driving him insane, feeding the monster inside him with her kisses, with the weight of her body lusciously pressing on his hips. There was a limit to temptation and he wasn't sure he had enough control left to not ravage her like a beast. However, he snapped out of his sexual urges as they heard someone knocking at the door.

"Oy! Sakura, it's daddy! Are you okay? Your mother told me that she found you crying when she came back from work and that you refused to talk. We're worried! Did something happen?" A male voice came from the corridor.

Sakura blushed, still holding Naruto's lower lip between her teeth, her eyes trained on the closed door. She'd completely forgotten about her parents, and about everything else besides Naruto actually. Her mom had come to check on her earlier and she managed to somewhat get rid of her pestering, but her father was another story. The man had no sense of privacy and still treated her as if she were a kid. He was genuinely insistent and would naturally barge in with no further notice if she didn't satisfy his concern. She should have seen it coming, with her mom retreating so easily and not going up to sleep. There was no doubt that her mom had waited for her father knowing that he would have no qualms in trying to force a confession out of her.

Her green gaze fell on the man she was kissing at the moment. His cerulean eyes were staring back at her, his body frozen as if he were waiting for a signal on what to do. Only their chests were rising to the rhythm of their breathing, all other activity had come to a halt. It would be bad to be found by her dad, straddling Naruto and making out. The best course of action would be to reassure her father to avoid the worst case scenario. So reluctantly, Sakura released Naruto's delectable lip and straightened herself into a sitting position. Her partner stifled a moan and she realized, not without excitement, that her butt was pressing against his turgid sex.

Chasing away her erotic thoughts, Sakura tried to focus on forming a decent sentence while pulling her inner-self out of Naruto's pants. "I'm fine, Dad."

She bit her lip, feeling Naruto's arousal pulse against her ass. It wasn't the moment to think about sex or even practicing some kind of intercourse. For that she would have to wait at least a couple of days for her uterus to have healed enough.

"You're sure? Your mom said that you looked pretty sad a little while ago."

"No Dad, I swear! I'm over it..." Sakura tried with a more assured tone.

"Don't be shy! I'm coming in! We'll talk, you can tell me everything!"

"Noooo!" She shrieked at the same time her father turned the doorknob.

It all happened in a flash. Her body flung over to the side, landing gracelessly on the mattress at the same time that the door swung open. She blinked, amazed; Naruto had vanished. _'Did he remember his teleportation jutsu?'_ She wondered as she looked at the place where his body previously was. Her father stepped in, and her gaze shifted to her incorrigible dad.

"Dad! I told you that I was fine!"

The man didn't listen to her and came to sit near her on the bed. His hand rose gently and affectionately patted her knee.

"We're your parents, it's normal for us to check on your well-being. You should see your mother. She's worried sick and keeps pacing in the lounge ever since she found you crying."

Sakura lowered her gaze, ashamed to have made them worry. She stayed silent, not knowing what to say. She hadn't meant anything bad when she told her mother off. She had just wanted to be left in peace to mourn to her heart's content. She had been exhausted, not able to put up a facade, and it wasn't as if she could have told her mom that she had just lost her child. However, it wasn't fair to them. She had long since left her rebellious stage and better understood their concern as parents.

Kizashi observed his little girl. Even if the room was dark, lit only partly by the light coming from the corridor, he could distinguish the heavy red marks around his daughter's eyes. Her face showed signs of tiredness and if it weren't for the tinge of pink covering her cheeks, he would have thought that she was ill.

"What happened to make you cry?" Kizashi asked his daughter with an expression far from his usual joking tone.

"I was just sad, I'm fine now. There is no need to worry anymore." Sakura tried to reassure him, while absentmindedly passing a hand through her hair to put some order to it.

From her disheveled hair and her clothes in a mess, he wondered if she hadn't come out of a fight. "Was it because of that boy? Your teammate. Your mother told me that you stayed at his place to be his bodyguard. Did you fight? Or … Were you attacked? Did something happen to him?" He questioned further, searching for an answer.

"No Dad, Naruto is safe. We didn't fight. I was just venting some frustration. I'm good now."

"You're certain of it?" He couldn't stop his paternal instinct to want to pamper her. "Don't you want to eat some ice cream with me? We have your favorite flavor. I can bring the box to your room and you can tell me everything that has been bothering you."

"Dad!" Sakura sighed. Her father was more persistent than usual. "I'm not five years old. I don't do that kind of stuff anymore." _'Except with Naruto…'_ "I'm tired, I'm just trying to sleep. You should go tell mom I'm okay and go to sleep too. It's late." She berated him.

Her father leaned forward and kissed her forehead. "No matter how old you are, you will always be my little girl. I'll let you sleep, but if ever you feel sad, I want you to come to me."

Sakura pouted, not wanting to admit that she did feel warm to be loved, and instead settled on frowning at being treated like a kid forever. "Mou! Dad!"

He lightly chuckled while standing up. His Sakura was in a better state than the alarming portrait his wife had made of their daughter. "'Night, Sakura."

"'Night dad." She greeted him back.

As soon as the click of the door was heard, a whisper came from under her bed.

"He's gone?" Naruto breathed.

Curiously, she looked underneath it to see Naruto, with his large stature, stuffed into the tiny space between the floor and the bedsprings. She'd always known him to be able to conceal himself in the most improbable hideouts but sometimes he still managed to surprise her. She hadn't thought it possible for her body to fit in such a scrawny spot, so for him to do so on such short notice was again proof of his incredible ability.

"How did you manage to hide there?" She asked, amazed.

"Dunno... It just happened. It's not like I had time to prepare something. I just went here before your dad could spot me."

"Yeah, it was impressive. You disappeared so quickly. At first I thought you had escaped through the window or something."

"Ah? Actually it would have been a better idea; it was so uncomfortable down there." Naruto admitted, getting out of his cramped confinement.

 _'Incredible abilities but not always the smartest one.'_ Commented her inner-self.

Naruto dusted off his clothes as he stood up and Sakura couldn't stop herself from noticing the bulge in his pants. Even if his arousal had deflated, it was still pretty obvious. It wasn't as if they could go all the way and make love as it was physically impossible for her, but she still selfishly wanted to stay with him tonight.

"I'm glad that you stayed instead of leaving me." Sakura mumbled, blushing.

"It wasn't the plan to leave you, except if you want me to let you sleep because you're tired." He said, rubbing the back of his head in embarrassment. He didn't know what to do with himself. Their make out session had been really torrid and he would be more than happy to continue. But at the same time, Sakura was certainly exhausted and who knew if she could even have sex after her miscarriage.

The blush on her face reached her ears and she broke eye contact with him. "Stay..." Sakura murmured shyly.

His heart pounded in his chest, jumping in his throat like a wild animal. He felt his cheeks heat up, and he timidly came to sit by her side. He fidgeted, not sure how to begin. His hand rose until he was bashfully touching her neck. Sakura glanced at him from beneath her long eyelashes and his heart flipped, crashing against his ribcage.

"Is it okay with you if we just sleep together without...you know...?" She asked, playing with her fingers to not look at him in the eyes.

He indeed was disappointed, but it was not like he didn't see it coming. It was understandable and she probably just wanted some sort of comfort. "Sure!" Naruto accepted, plastering a smile on his face.

However, her bed was still her childhood single bed and Naruto darted a look at the size of the mattress, perplexed on how they could fit together in it. Rapidly assessing all the different solutions on how to proceed to not end up with one of them on the floor, he settled on simply keeping her in his arms the whole night. So without further futile questioning, he wrapped his arms around her delicate form.

Sakura panicked at his abrupt action, not that she didn't like to be in his embrace, but more wondering if he understood what she meant. "Naruto, we can't make love tonight." She blurted, blood rushing to her face at verbally expressing it.

"Yeah yeah! I know. I'll be good as gold." Naruto promised, kissing the top of her hair. "Let's just find a way to be comfortable." He continued, leaning down on the mattress while keeping her in his arms. "You're good like that?" He asked, settling his head on the pillow and adjusting his hand on her back to secure her against his chest.

She was perfect right there, in Heaven. Here with him, her head on his shoulder and his fragrance invading her nostrils. His scent was like burying her face in an afternoon pillow filled with sunshine. It was in itself a concentrate of summer, with its warmth and its laughter, wrapping around her like a loving cocoon. She immediately felt great by the secure atmosphere brought by his mere presence.

"I'm good..." She replied, sighing in delight and moving slightly to interlace her leg with his. As long as she had him she would be strong, the pain would fade, and she would be able to face tomorrow.

Naruto gave her a peck on her hair and smiled tenderly. He had the woman he loved in his arms and it was more than what he could have hoped. So, laying still in the silence of the night, the blond kept his eyes open even in the general darkness of the room. He didn't look at anything in particular but he couldn't really sleep yet. As Sakura was progressively calming down, he allowed himself to think about his own loss. It hurt somehow, even if he just now learned that it was his child. Did she lose their baby because of him? Because of his fight with Sasuke? Or because she strained herself to find a cure for his ailment? Was it unavoidable or was he to blame for it? He felt a wave of guilt rush over him but he swallowed it down. He couldn't allow himself to weep when she was the one who was the most hurt. He tightened his embrace around her as his heart writhed in his own pain, and promised himself that he would protect her no matter what.

XXXXXXXXXX

The light tinkling of the bell attached to the flower shop door marked Ino's exit. The beautiful blonde woman sighed, walking down the now empty street. Her shoulders felt stiff, and her heart heavy. She couldn't get out of her mind the last events that had turned her day upside down. It wasn't only Naruto's memories this time that'd made her unwell. It was everything. Naruto's escape, his fight with Sasuke, and then there was Sakura's situation too. Actually, Sakura's condition was the final blow, the worst. In one day, Ino discovered that her best friend and rival had been pregnant, with the boy they had chased all their childhood nonetheless, and then lost her child – and all that without telling her anything! So, for sure, Ino was sad and angry like hell, altogether. She couldn't decide on which emotion should prevail so she just kept passing from one to the other in a blink of an eye.

She tried to relax at home after her terrible day. She tried and she failed. It wasn't that she didn't put some effort into it; it wasn't the hot bath's fault, nor the violet potion meant to calm her nerves, that she was still stressed. Her last resort, even if it wasn't the smartest thing to do, was to vent out whatever was left in a teeny weeny cup of sake. Just one, she promised herself. Only one so as to not end up in the same mess as the last time she went for a drink. She couldn't, no, absolutely wouldn't, make the same mistake twice.

However, she admitted to herself that she could bear with some company, even more so if the guy was handsome. Maybe it would be nice to meet up accidentally with Sai, the man was quite good looking and did keep calling her _beautiful_. Ino giggled at the idea, Sasuke was dating Sakura, Naruto was certainly too heartbroken to notice her even if she danced naked under his nose. All wasn't lost, or so she thought, until the moment she pushed open the door of her favorite bar.

The gorgeous blonde was sure of it, today was definitely not a good day. Of all the times she could have met her lazy teammate it had to be today. She knew Shikamaru had been avoiding her since their little confrontation in the Hokage's office, and she was somewhat grateful for that as she had no idea how to face him. But here he was, sitting at the bar in gallant company. Her fingers tensed on the edge of the large wooden door. For one second she was tempted to close it and search for another drinking spot, but she wasn't one to run away.

She glided in with her forever elegant gait, her hips swaying with the movement. She stepped in, full of indestructible assurance. Her lovely blue gaze fell on the back of his companion. Shika wasn't one to associate with women in general, so it was rare to see him with one out of their friend circle. Who was that girl with him anyway? Ino detailed the woman as she continued to advance toward the bar. Blond hair tied in pigtails, solid shoulders despite the incontestable feminine form, defined muscles on her arms and legs. There was no doubt that the woman was a shinobi and not some random office worker from the Hokage tower. Coming closer, Ino finally got a glimpse at her profile. She immediately recognized the person even if she had never directly socialized with her. It was that Suna girl Sakura talked about, the Kazekage's sister.

Don't ask her why, as she wouldn't be able to answer, but her temper suddenly flared up . Her teeth ground ever so imperceptibly at realizing that Shika was so engrossed in listening to that woman that he didn't spare a backward glance at her arrival. It was unforgivable! she decreed for no reason. Just like that. And it had absolutely nothing to do with the fact that her lazy teammate didn't acknowledge her presence or that he was with that woman. Nothing.

A glance.

Finally! Better late than never, as the saying goes. But it was only when she was within arm's length from him that his eyes flickered over to her. It was immediate and effective, and Ino caught him stiffen on his stool, a look of panic on his face. It wasn't the usual reaction she got from boys but this one suited her teammate surprisingly well. She loved to have an effect on him, whatever it was. Now she had his complete attention.

Composing herself and putting on a courteous smile worthy of greeting customers for years at her family flower shop, Ino saluted the couple.

"Oh My! What a surprise, Shika!" Ino said, then she flashed a smile at the Suna girl. "Long time no see. Temari, isn't it? What are you doing in our village?"

Shikamaru warily stared at his teammate. He had hoped to let some time pass since their little incident. He was sure that Ino was aware of it as he'd been carefully hiding so he wouldn't cross paths with her. How could he have been so negligent tonight? Not that he could have jumped over the bar and escaped while being in Temary's company. One way or the other, he was doomed.

"My brother sent me over for a mission." The Suna kunoichi replied soberly.

"Oh? So you're doing some overtime with the Hokage's assistant or are you two on a date or something? " The mentalist continued to pry, taking the free stool by Shikamaru's side. They both blushed at the mention of a date, and something dark churned in Ino's gut at the stupid pink color on her teammate. Could it be that Sakura was right and Shika was more popular with girls than she gave him credit?

The strategist shuddered as Ino glanced at him. It was bad, pretty bad. Was Ino trying to get him killed or what? Why was she spouting that sort of nonsense? Was it some kind of revenge for the other day?

"Hahaha! What are you saying Ino? We were just talking business, nothing else." Shikamaru rebutted, preferring to stay on the safe side. Temari frowned, but he didn't see it as he was facing his teammate. However, Ino didn't miss this detail.

"It must be something important if the Kazekage sent us his own sister." Ino speculated, not really done for with her little interrogation. She was a master at getting what she wanted to know and she could read between the lines better than anyone else. Not even the man at her side called 'the Genius' could surpass her in this type of mind game.

"It is something important, and as Suna's official representative for Konoha, it is my duty." Temari retorted, saving face after Shikamaru's plain rejection. She had thought, at first, that when Shikamaru had invited her to a drink after their official meeting with the Hokage that they were making progress. But it turned out to be a simple friendly debriefing in his opinion.

 _'So that Suna girl likes him.'_

Ino enjoyed the hidden, stricken expression on the other blonde woman and felt somewhat protective of her territory. Konoha was hers and Shika was included of course, there was no way Ino could let him fall for a foreigner. What would happen to Konoha if he decided to move to Suna with that woman? It was only right to secure the important persons around her. Team Ino-Shika-Cho would be incomplete without him. It wasn't only about her and her pride to keep him from frolicing with another woman when they had kissed a few days ago.

"It must not be something too confidential if you're talking about it in a public place. Mind if I join?" Ino asked, her body voluntarily close to the man at her side. Her breast was nearly brushing him and it was a rather intimate posture even if she managed to make it look ingenuous.

The proximity of the Konoha blonde woman didn't escape Temari's attention and it pissed her off.

 _'How can he be so casual about it? And she called him_ _ **Shika**_ _too – Don't tell me he's interested in her? And when I thought he might like me... all because he always politely escorts me each time I'm in Konoha. How stupid I am to get fooled by his gentlemanly behavior!'_

"You can stay, we've finished talking anyway. I will be taking my leave; I have a long road to Suna tomorrow."

"Huh? You'll be leaving tomorrow? Generally you spend a couple of days here in between missions." Shikamaru said, surprised.

Ino shifted ever so subtly, giving off a stronger vibe of closeness with Shikamaru. She knew exactly how to chase away a pesky rival, after all, she had played that type of game many times when interested in a coveted boy. The Suna girl glared at her and Ino smiled almost innocently.

"I just came for a message, it's not like I have to participate in or supervise anything else. If you'll excuse me. Good night!" Temari replied.

"Wait! I should accompany you." Shikamaru offered, seeing in it an opportunity to escape with the least damage possible. It was a good way to stay on good terms with Temari and avoid being alone with his teammate.

"Why? Do you think I'm not able to take care of myself?" The Suna kunoichi challenged.

Shikamaru flinched, aware of the dangerousness of the woman. "Hell no! It's just my mission." He tried to cover up.

"Tsk!" Temari gritted her teeth. So it was indeed his mission only. "I won't get lost. I don't need a babysitter." Her tone was abrasive, not inviting to contradict her.

Happily, the mentalist turned to the bar once her opponent was out and commanded a drink. She nearly hummed in satisfaction as she felt a spurt of pride invade her veins. She wasn't the strongest kunoichi and she didn't possess the biggest reserve of chakra. But in a mind game against a woman she was a terrible adversary.

Shikamaru grunted, displeased at having Temari angry at him and then glared at his teammate. _'Ah! You're joyous... Does it make you that happy to have put me in a difficult position with Temari? Is it your way of getting revenge on me, scary woman?'_

Ino noticed the glare, but didn't falter under it. "It's rare for you to go out of your way to talk work outside of the office. Was it that urgent or do you often do that with her?" She casually asked, resting her chin on the back of her hand, but internally wondering if he was interested in that Suna girl.

The strategist sighed. It was an empty battle to debate with Ino about how much trouble she brought him. Ino would only do whatever she pleased anyway. It was better to not have her more vindictive.

"Suna is an important ally. We try to stay on good terms."

"Oh! Is that so? When I thought you had a thing for her..." She innocently commented, checking the temperature of his feeling for the other woman.

He blushed, and Ino got the furious need to strangle him.

"No. Not really... though Temari is an interesting person."

Shikamaru's answer irked Ino more than she would want to ever admit and crashed every little joy that had previously sparkled in her. Fuming internally, she gulped down her sake cup in one go before grabbing the sleeve of the barman as he tried to leave.

"Leave the bottle here!" She demanded and served herself another cup.

Shikamaru rose a curious eyebrow at his teammate's behavior. Generally Ino always drank in a very refined way and only drank fast when already inebriated or really upset.

"Did something happen today?" He questioned, remembering the last time he found his teammate in a bar.

The mention of her day only served to drown her mood more, and she sucked down another sake cup. "It couldn't have been worse!" She confessed, needing to vent out some frustration. "I had a terrible session with Naruto, and then he escaped –"

"What? Did you find him?" Shikamaru cut her off. _'What bad luck! Just when Temari informed us that there was a leak about Naruto's amnesia and he's in danger more than ever.'_

"Yeah, we found him, fortunately." She sighed. "But it was really crazy. Naruto fought with Sasuke and then Sakura collapsed."

"Was she injured during their fight?"

"No, that's not it."

"So what's wrong with Sakura?"

Ino took another cup, just remembering the reason why her best friend collapsed. Her heart writhed at the image of Sakura crooked on her bed on the verge of breaking. "Don't tell anyone." She started and he nodded, serious. She wasn't sure she was supposed to tell anyone, but Shikamaru was a trustworthy person who could keep a secret and she needed to talk to someone. "She had a miscarriage."

Shikamaru gaped. Of all the possibilities that could have occurred to have a shinobi collapse. He never considered that option. "It must be hard on her with Naruto's condition and all. That sneaky Naruto, he never told me that he got his girl."

"Naruto isn't the father. It's Sasuke!" Ino corrected him. "But despite that, Naruto was really affected by it and Sakura... Sakura is completely devastated."

"Will she be able to continue her bodyguard duty? We have a threat looming over Naruto and Sasuke will have to leave as soon as Sai has recovered from his wounds." Shikamaru inquired pragmatically.

Ino hung her head low, her sadness burning her eyes. Even if Sakura was annoying, even if she didn't confide in her about her relationship with Sasuke, she was still her best friend and it was hard to see her hurt. "I don't know..."

There was only one thing more scary than a woman's wrath in the Nara heir's opinion: a woman's sadness. He suddenly knew why Ino had come to the bar and why she downed drink after drink. It was all for Sakura. His hand hesitantly patted her shoulder; he couldn't leave her here alone or she would put herself in the same wasted state as last time. Who knew who would try to take advantage of such beauty if he left her by herself.

He pulled some money out of his pocket and cleared the bill for his and the girls' drinks. "Come on, let's take a walk. Some fresh air would do you more good."

Ino followed him, taking him up on the offer. Shikamaru was a good companion to rationalize her problems, he would without a doubt help her sort out the situation and calm her mind. She trailed at his side in silence, not knowing where he was leading her. But it didn't matter. Shikamaru was right, the fresh night air was what she needed the most.

The strategist glanced at his teammate, remembering the last time he brought her home. They kissed, or mostly _she_ kissed him. He'd been too stunned to reciprocate the kiss, but since then he couldn't get the softness of her lips out of his mind. His gaze drifted to the luscious culprit of his fantasies, her mouth, and he swallowed hard at being captivated by it.

"So... that's why you were after Naruto the other day? You knew he had no chance with Sakura as she was already with Sasuke." He tried to deflect his attention to something else other than the kiss and spouted the first thing that passed through his mind.

"No. I just found him cute and I learned about Sakura today too. She didn't tell me anything. Can you believe that she would hide something as important as that from me?"

No matter how much it riled him to hear her call Naruto _cute_ , it wasn't the problem here. "You used to like Sasuke, like her. Maybe she was afraid to upset you. Knowing Sasuke, it is more than possible that it was a mistake on his part and he didn't want anything to do with her or the baby. However, it could explain why he took the mission with Sai in her stead. It must be his own way to assume his paternity by keeping them safe." Shikamaru speculated.

"So you think that's why she didn't tell me."

"Beats me, I have never understood girls' logic. It might be more complicated as it seems her pregnancy was followed by Naruto's incident. She might not have wanted to disclose anything which could stress Naruto, to spare him."

"He would have known at some point. One can't hide a pregnancy forever." Ino retorted.

"I'm just saying that there was more than one factor which could have made Sakura want to keep quiet. So relax, you're still her best friend and all." Shikamaru reassured her.

She was maybe a little tipsy but not drunk yet. However, in the clear moonlight, Shikamaru looked somewhat cute. Not cute-cute or cute-handsome, but still cute. At that second, Sakura's voice rang in her head with an infuriating question: 'Do you like him?' and Ino shook her head, refusing the possibility.

"What? You don't believe me?" Shikamaru misinterpreted her movement.

"Ah? No, I – I was just feeling light headed because of the sake?" She lied.

He extended his elbow toward her. "Grab on! It's better than falling on the ground."

Ino looked at the offered limb and awkwardly wrapped her arms around it. She wondered why she was feeling so nervous when it was the same old Shikamaru. Was it because he was all chivalrous tonight? Was it because she knew he was coveted by another girl? Or... Was it because they kissed and she hadn't decided what to do about it yet? Her heart thumped at the last possibility. Until now she had refused to think about it. She had even denied it completely. But now, Sakura's voice turned into a loop, 'Do you like him?'

Was she possibly attracted to him?

Her eyes darted to discreetly observe her teammate. He wasn't so bad. Over the years he had gained some presence, he had a nice body structure like every elite shinobi, and he definitely had this mature and charming aura that intelligent people often possessed.

She blushed, thinking that maybe...

Shikamaru noticed from the corner of his eyes that her face was becoming redder. He hadn't thought that she was already completely drunk. But maybe those glasses weren't her first. He stopped, bringing her to a halt too.

"Are you ok? Can you walk? Or do you want me to carry you to your house? We're not far from it." He asked, concerned.

Her heart stupidly sped up. Shikamaru towered over her, close, too close. He looked so manly like that. Her head spun or was it the world around them? His arm's firm hold on her waist prevented her from falling and she felt her body tingle at the contact.

He knew he shouldn't see her like that. But what could he do? Ino was undeniably a desirable woman, and her voluptuous body wasn't helping to keep his mind from wandering in dangerous direction either. For once she looked fragile, far from her usual bossy attitude, and her rosy lips were tempting as hell. He wanted them, he wanted them since the day she had dared to kiss him. It was all her fault, all her fault for making him step out of his comfortable friend-zone.

Slowly he leaned forward, reducing the distance between him and the object of his desire. He could feel her breath and recognized the light smell of violets. He wanted to taste her again – and she didn't move. She didn't withdraw. It didn't matter if he got punched afterward for what he was going to do. He wanted it too much to stop now. His lips connected with hers, his tongue immediately searching to slip into her mouth.

It sent a shiver down her spine and Ino instantly reciprocated. She wasn't one of those naive girls who didn't have experience. She used her body on missions. She seduced many men, coaxing them into revealing important information. She drugged them through kisses, using her tongue to make them swallow pills. She was an expert and she had always treated it as a game; rolling them around her finger, making them do whatever she pleased. But Shika was different. Shika wouldn't do unnecessary things. Shika couldn't be manipulated easily. He was obedient, it was a fact, but he followed the rules of logic and his best interest. He always helped her even as he called it a drag but not because she was seductive, as if he were immune to that. He just always cared for her as a teammate, but she wanted him to see her as a woman tonight.

Sensations sparkled, butterflies crazily flaring in her belly as she deepened the kiss. She felt hot, the warmth spreading in her veins, intoxicating. Since when had her childhood friend been so sensual? She wanted more… But the idiot broke the kiss too soon...

"Sorry, I don't know what got into me..." Shikamaru apologized, his head still a mess of lust.

She didn't reply, just grabbing his head between her hands to continue her previous activity, with no care in the world if he wanted it or not. She wanted it, wasn't that enough for both of them?

"Wait! Wait!" He tried to stop her, resisting her. He wasn't one to take advantage of a drunk woman, least of all his teammate.

"Wait what?" She mumbled, pulling him closer, her tongue licking erotically over his lower lip.

"Sorry! I was wrong! You're drunk and not in your right mind. We shouldn't...mmmm."

She stopped his futile blabbering.

"Wait! You're too drunk! I don't want that! You won't remember it tomorrow. Again." He tried to push her gently, even if his body was more than willing to continue further.

Ino stared straight at him and she took on the life changing decision in the spurt of the moment. "Stay with me tonight and remind me tomorrow if I forget." She retorted, punctuating her offer by capturing his mouth in a ferocious kiss.

Shikamaru had no choice, he never had with her anyway. He was completely willing to abide by her wish.

 **THANKS TO REVIEW… I LOVE TO SEE WHAT YOU THINK OF IT!**


	29. Chapter 29

_**THANKS TO GINA TSUKIKO FOR BETA READING THE CHAPTER**_

 _Aqua Rules:Thank you for your support. I am glad that you liked the pace of the previous chapter and the development._

 _Kuroneko215:Thank you I hope you will continue to like it_

 _BlindSaya:The clue were subtles. But I did set the stage for this to happen with the accumulation of stress and tiredness on Sakura.I hope you found Temari's fan ;) Thank you for being here_

 _Eight heroes: Yes they finally are together. Thank you for your support_

 _Tiny tanaka:No one questionned for her pregnancy because, there was only Sasuke knowing (and he knew who was the real father), Naruto knowing (thinking it was sasuke), Tsunade guessing (hoping it was not Sasuke),Hanabi seeing (but thinking nothing as she is not interested in Sakura), Ino discovering (and naruto telling her it was sasuke), Shika earing Ino's gossip (guessing right that it was Naruto, but Ino telling him it was Sasuke)… It seems complicate but it is not lol… Thank you for being here_

 _Guest:I hope this chapter will lessen your fear. Thank you I hope you will continue to like it._

 _Joey91731:I wanted them to have intense emotions. I am glad that you like it. Thank you for being here_

 _Beastedon: Yeah it was slow and complicated, but they are finally back together… life can go on now XD Thank you I hope you will continue to like it_

 _Naj677: I am glad that you liked the side story of ShikaIno. Thank you for your support_

 _Sined662: Ino didn't know yet that Naruto is the real father as Naruto told her at the hospital that it was Sasuke the father. Thank you for your support_

 _YeagerMeister31: Your wish will come true soon. Thank you for your support_

 _HITMAN0569: You will see soon how they react. Thank you for being here_

 _ThatPageantGirl: Fathers always have a sixth sense to barge in the worst moment lol. Thank you for being here_

 _Marshmallow: Thank you I hope you will continue to like it_

 _Alphadark19:I am glad you like the shikaino side story. Thank you I hope you will continue to like it_

 _Katus293: Thank you so much! I am glad you like it even if ShikaIno is not your favorite._

 _Dpmaragoni: They will discover slowly slowly more clue about the shadow thing. Don't worry all will come to an end soon. Thank you_

 _Donthedarkdragon26: I won't develop too much shikaino as I shortened the story, but they will still appear punctually.I hope you will like what is coming next. Thank you for your support_

 _Merchant Of Blue Death: Yeah there will be emotions connected to the miscarriage, but you know even over a loss,life must go on and as shinobi they learn to cope with death. (many couple have to face miscarriage, it can break them appart or bring them closer.) Yeah Naruto will be by her side now and he will be a good support for her. I found Ino Shika very cute together and I ship Tema Shika or InoShika all the same, both girl match well with him. In this story I choose to go with Ino and she claimed the guy before temari could have him. For the improvement in my mistake grammar, it is a big thanks to my wonderful beta reader who correct me and teach me many english grammar rules to improve. She have been a great great help! For correcting the other stories, it will need a lot of time to work on them and I prefer to dedicate my time to something else than writing for now._

 _Aewina-chwan: Tu sais deja que ce chapitre t'es dedicacé ;) C'est grace a tes super commentaires que j'avais trouvé la force de bosser et de l'ecrire. Alors merci encore pour ton soutien._

 _Tenten1001: Yes now the story is slowy untangling the mess. I hope you will like it until the end. Thak you for your support. And for further stories, I will see later if I find the motivation to work again._

 _Guest: Unfortunately I have cut short the story so I won't develop much ShikaIno. But at least you will still have some nice Narusaku moments. Thank you for your support_

 _BlueZ44: Unfortunately, this story approach dangerously to its end… just few chapters left. I was not offended by your previous comment, I was more curious on which part could be improved. For a Narusaku story based on their wedding and marriage life, I invite you to discover "How I fell in love with my best friend" if you don't know it yet. Thank you for being here._

 _Vanilla-oreo: Thank you very much. I hope you will continue to be here and like it._

 _Chap 28: Some spark lit candles, other explosions_

The sun basked the room with his morning light. The timid rays danced on their faces, drawing playful stripes of light on their closed eyelids. It could have bothered him, but Naruto was far too comfy to be disturbed in his sleep. His breath was still heavy, the slow falling and rising of his chest lulling for the beauty in his arms. Her weight shifted, her leg rubbing a sensible and very awake area of his body, and he instinctively tightened his embrace on her waist to bring her closer.

Sakura on another hand was a light sleeper and her eyelids fluttered open. The first thing her floating gaze landed on was Naruto's pulsing carotid. Focusing more, her stare followed the strong line of his neck until lovingly gliding on his jaw. Wanting to see more, she shifted her body and for a second she thought he would woke up as he tightened his hold, but his breathing kept its steady pace. With a better angle now, she enjoyed gazing his face, his blonde brows, his long eyelashes, his nose which she couldn't count how many times she had repaired and his lips – his desirable lips.

She had wanted to be with him like this for weeks and she yearned to squeeze him hard in her arms, to relish in the pleasure of having him with her for real. But to not interrupt his slumber, she postponed her need and simply drew the shape of his lips with a ghostly touch of the tip of her finger. Could she...? Just a small one... Softly as to not wake him up, the pink haired beauty leaned forward to steal a chaste kiss at the lips of her beloved. She would be good after that and patiently wait while looking at him, she promised herself. Just one, as she couldn't hold back anymore. Yet she didn't withdraw her lips as her facetious boyfriend gently bit her bottom lip in between his teeth, the beginning of a smile lifting the corner of his mouth. Naruto used her stunned state to continue further, his tongue darting out to lick after his teeth grazed her lip.

"Good morning, Sakura-chan." He whispered as his hands caressed her side, wandering lower and lower on her back.

Recovering from her surprise, Sakura kissed him back more vigorously as his mouth came to search for hers. His hand grasped her butt, molding her body against his. She could feel his turgid sex brushing her thigh, and the _involuntary_ languorous sway of hips to rub himself more. It was pure delectable torture. Oh, how she wanted to strip him of his clothes and straddle him. _'How many days should I wait? Three? Two, maybe, if I intensify the healing...'_

"Wait, Naruto!" She feebly protested, not really wanting him to stop, when he released her mouth to attack her neck with a succession of voluptuous kisses.

"I'm not doing anything." Naruto defended himself, culpable through and through, one hand hiking up her shirt.

"Naruto, please..." She half whined, half moaned, her body betraying her resolution.

"I'm not putting it in, but god! Sakura, you're too tempting! Can't I at least touch you just a little?" He pleaded, his hand fondling her breast.

 _'Does he have the slightest idea how hard it is to resist him? How much I want him? Of course he doesn't! Baka Naruto!'_

"Naruto, stop." She more firmly insisted, feeling her resolve slip away as he pinched her nipple between his fingers.

"Fine." He pouted, bringing his hands behind his head to avoid touching her.

Her body boiled from only that little amount of teasing and she already missed his contact. Still, she sat up to increase the distance. It couldn't be good to stay too close. Naruto, unknowingly, was far too sexy for her peace of mind.

"Are you still hurt?" He asked as she breathed deeply to gather her thoughts and calm her needs.

It surprised her. "It tingles a bit, not much. But it's just that we should wait a couple of days more."

"Yeah, I understand." Naruto replied, concern for her showing in the dark blue shade of his eyes. He supported himself on his elbow and partly lifted his torso to be more at her level. "What do you want to do? Do you want to rest here for a few days? Or … Do you want to come at my place?"

If she needed any indication to make a decision, she would guess that the blush that spread on his cheeks at the last part of his question showed that she was more than welcome to stay with him. Was there any hesitation to begin with? Absolutely none!

"I'll be taking my breakfast here to talk with my parents, and I can meet with you at your house."

"I can come pick you up later. It might be hard for you to walk."

She blushed at his caring nature. "I can walk just fine, the anesthesia is gone and it's not hurting."

"I would prefer to be with you..." Naruto insisted, and she couldn't resist.

"Come at ten."

"So I'll let you get ready and I'll get going before someone notices me coming out of your window." He kissed her on the cheek before standing up, smoothing his rumpled clothes. "Meet you at ten."

Sakura watched him exiting her room and then let herself fall back on her bed. She passed a hand over her belly, wondering why she had to lose something to get something else. She got pregnant when she lost Naruto, and she lost her child to have Naruto come back to her. Couldn't she have both of them? She sighed, tired. At least with Naruto by her side, she was feeling able to stand on her own two feet. She wasn't sure she would have been able to get up this morning if she didn't receive his emotional support during the night.

Gathering her courage to move forward, the pinkette went to prepare herself and then face her parents. Her mother tried to corner her to reveal the reason of her breakdown, and Sakura just hid it behind the excuse of her guiltiness over Naruto's accident. It did the trick somehow, more or less, as her mother kept sending suspicious glances toward her during the whole meal as if her maternal instinct told her that there was something more to it. But it was a lost cause; the pink-haired kunoichi was more stubborn than a stone could be. The incident ended with her parents reminding her that she could confide in them and to not keep any burden to herself while she reassured them that she was perfectly fine now that she vented out all her excess stress. It was enough, or at least it would make a bridge between them for a normal relationship.

Naruto, as promised, came at ten in the morning exactly. He hesitantly rang the bell, wondering if he shouldn't have gone to her bedroom window instead. Part of him wanted to make a good impression on her parents and not just cowardly avoid them. But it didn't make him less nervous. The opening of the door stopped his anguish as Sakura welcomed him in.

"You're not with Sasuke? I was hoping he wouldn't leave you alone." She questioned.

"Ah? He's waiting outside." Naruto absentmindedly replied, looking around in case her mom popped out of nowhere.

"I'm glad. I know the risk is low in the village but he should still be with you."

"You both don't have to treat me like a kid. I can defend myself." The blond argued. He was fed up with being protected; he wanted to be the one to protect them instead.

"Yeah, I saw that yesterday, you hold your ground pretty well now. But it is still our duty." She praised him, turning around to climb the stairs. "I'll be back in a second. I'm just gonna grab my bag."

Naruto glanced in the direction of the lounge and swallowed with difficulty before doing what a man should do to his future-in-laws. "Should I go greet your parents or do you want me to wait for you to do it?"

"Nah! My parents left for work a little while ago." She told him over her shoulder, nearly reaching the first floor.

The blond frowned, not sure if he should be happy about it or sad. He was anxious if he would be accepted as her boyfriend or not and had prepared himself to properly face her parents since leaving her that morning. He even shaved with extra care to look presentable. And all for nothing...?

Sakura came back, all smiles the next instant, a bag on her left shoulder.

"I should carry it for you." Naruto offered, pointing to her bag.

"I'm fine, Naruto. It's not heavy." She tried to reason to no avail as he only did as he wished, taking the shoulder strap of her bag. She wanted to tell him she was strong and that she could do it herself, but at the same time she enjoyed being pampered by him.

"Are you ready to go?" The blond asked her, and Sakura nodded shyly, a small smile on her lips.

He extended his hand toward her and she looked at it, torn between her desire to hold it and the fear of exposing their relationship. For the same reason she had wanted to keep her relationship with Naruto secret, she was still aware that she hadn't prepared their friends to accept it. After ten years with their unbreakable friendship, it would be hard to explain their change of heart.

Her hesitancy didn't pass unnoticed by Naruto and his frown returned, deeper. "Are you ashamed of me?" He bluntly asked.

"No! It's not! I – We – our relationship was secret..." Sakura tried to explain.

Naruto huffed. "I don't know why my old self did that. But I want to be with you. I don't want to hide or hold myself back in front of anyone. Was it so wrong to be together?"

"No..." She admitted ashamed. _'It was mostly because of me.'_

"So it's settled." Without another word, he grabbed her hand, intertwining their fingers.

The thrill of feeling his fingers sliding between hers was enough to make her blush profusely. She felt her heart race wildly in her chest, overly excited by the contact. It was so simple, so evident. It was exactly what they should do. Be together and that's it. Naruto was like that for her, able to find the simplest and most adequate answer in any complicated situation. His heart never wavered, never doubted. He knew only how to walk forward and she felt secure by his side. So she let him guide her outside, butterflies in her belly, and tried to act calm even if she wasn't.

Sakura greeted her uncommunicative teammate and asked him if the intern at the hospital couldn't take care of his injury, seeing his bruised jaw. Sasuke glanced at the couple's joined hands and then at his best friend. Naruto smiled sheepishly, sorry to have punched Sasuke in the face the previous night. The dark haired shinobi snorted in response and started to walk toward their house, letting the couple catch up with him.

"If you really don't like being treated at the hospital, I can fix it for you." Sakura volunteered and an elaborated 'Hn' marked Sasuke's answer.

The conversation didn't continue and Sakura's attention came back full force to the warm palm of her boyfriend. It was hard to keep the blush at bay, and she was aware that many people were whispering behind their backs. The townsfolk did notice the two shinobi joined hands, and their gaze never left them for a second until they passed them, their murmurs following. Sakura slightly tensed at one old woman's remark, incredulously asking her neighbor if the two were a couple.

The Jinchuuriki heard them too. Actually, any decent ninja could pick up the complete whispering of those civilians. They were not, as one would say, anything close to being discreet. It didn't bother him, but he wasn't sure Sakura felt the same.

"Don't mind them. I'm happy to be with you." Naruto murmured in her ear, giving her smaller hand a squeeze, trying to give her some support.

The tickling of her boyfriend's breath on her ear sent inner-sakura into a frenzy. It was one thing to be holding hands in public, but it was another to have his face so close. So her cheeks burned, taking on the same beautiful pink color as her hair.

"I'm happy too." Sakura confessed, stumbling over her words in embarrassment and squeezing his hand back. In this sort of euphoria her concern vanished, and she relished in just the joy of being by his side. The world seemed to have taken on another color, more vivid and bustling than before. It changed or was it just Naruto's effect?

Arriving at home a little bit later, Naruto went up to drop his girlfriend's bag while Sasuke and Sakura walked to the lounge. The head medic comfortably sat herself on the couch and motioned to her teammate to join her. Without comment, Sasuke took the place at her side and he let her do her job. Her hand glowed with soothing green energy as she applied her mystic palm to his jaw. She concluded that the bones freshly welded together by a previous healing had broken again.

"Were you the one to tell Naruto that it was his baby?" She whispered, curious.

"Not exactly..." Sasuke vaguely answered.

"Which means?"

"I told him to think and that I wasn't the father."

Sakura paused, staring at her teammate. "Don't tell me..."

"Yeah, he thought I was. That's how I got this." Sasuke admitted. "At least he understood by himself."

Sakura resumed her healing, finishing mending the bones together and muttered a soft 'thank you.'

The dark haired shinobi didn't reply; he never knew how to reply to those types of words. He just looked to the side as his best friend joined them, pushing Sakura's medical book from the opposite sofa to have a seat. He could feel the blue gaze on her, not missing a bit of what she was doing, and Sasuke eagerly waited for Sakura to complete her task. The Uchiha heir wasn't one to like being the third wheel and he was already planning to retreat as soon as possible.

The doorbell interrupted their silent gathering with the strident ringing sound. Sasuke took the opportunity to withdraw from the couple by going to open the door. Ino was standing there, cutely holding her hands behind her back, a pretty glow on her face.

"Hi, Sasuke-kun. Is Sakura here? I went to her house and nobody was there, so I thought she might be with you."

The dark-haired shinobi nodded, opening the door wider to let her in. He didn't add any polite speech to invite her in and just moved back, with complete disinterest, toward the couch to finish his treatment. The couple looked at him curiously, seeing him come alone.

"Who was it?" Sakura asked first.

"Ino" Sasuke plopped onto his place on the sofa.

"She left?" The pinkette inquired.

"She's taking her shoes off, and she knows the way..." Sasuke said nonchalantly. It was such a normal occurrence for him to have their old classmates drop by and make themselves at home that he didn't bother to be polite with any of them anymore.

As if to punctuate his sentence, the head of the blonde kunoichi appeared at the corner of the corridor. Ino immediately ran toward her best friend for a bone crushing hug as she spotted the pinkette.

"You had me worried!" The blonde woman whined, still keeping a tight hold on Sakura's neck.

"Sorry about yesterday. I was out of it." Sakura apologized.

"Yeah, and today too! I told you I would be visiting you and I didn't find you at home." Ino continued, finally releasing her friend to straighten up.

"Ah... Don't be mad at her. I'm the one who invited her to stay with us." Naruto interjected.

Ino's gaze softened when she looked at the blond man. Naruto was so kind-hearted to be able to take care of Sakura even knowing she was in relationship with his best friend.

"I'm not mad. I was worried, that's all. I'm glad to see that Sakura was with you guys." She said, walking around the couch to take a place near the blond shinobi, and then gently patting his hand.

Sakura frowned, seeing her eternal rival so close to her Naruto. A vein throbbed at her temple and she didn't realize that the energy in her hand had shifted from healing to murderous.

"Oi! Sakura! It stings! Are you trying to break it again?" Sasuke complained.

The pinkette jolted, finally aware of what she was doing. She quickly inverted the flow to go back to healing mode. "There was something not in its place; I had to break it to move it around." She lied with some talent.

"Didn't you get treated at the hospital yesterday? I thought you went to do it after Tsunade-sama told you." Ino questioned.

"I did." Sasuke replied casually and Naruto looked away guiltily, not that Ino could see his expression.

Ino tilted her head, ready to ask more questions of the handsome Uchiha. Call it natural instinct of the intelligence division or just feminine sixth sense, but she was feeling that there was more going on.

Sakura beat her to it, giving a lead to explain the situation. "It was a misunderstanding..."

"You punched him?" Ino accused her, imagining that an argument had broken out between the pinkette and the father of her deceased baby. It wouldn't be surprising if Sakura had vented her nerves on him.

"It was me..." Naruto confessed, making the blonde woman turn her head toward her neighbor. He looked embarrassed, not making eye contact with her. "I was angry at him, thinking that he was the father and that he didn't care for Sakura..." He justified himself.

"Thinking...?" Ino repeated, not sure what he meant. _'Could it be...?'_

"I misunderstood! Hahaha!" Naruto admitted, awkwardly laughing and rubbing the back of his head.

Ino stared at him for few seconds, putting two and two together. Then her blue gaze turned toward her best friend and the blonde woman made a small head tilt towards Naruto. Sakura confirmed with a nod, and Ino's jaw dropped low at the revelation. Naruto was the father. Sakura was in a relationship with their blond knucklehead. ' _Oh My...! Shikamaru was right! It was Naruto!'_

It all fit. Why Sakura had been so ghost-like when she saw her that first time at the hospital after Naruto's accident. Why she had kept it a secret and why she was so protective of him at every one of her flirting attempts.

Her clear blue eyes passed back and forth between her best friend and the blond man. "So..." Ino carefully began. "How do things stand now?" She finished, looking at the pinkette, thinking that she deserved a full explanation from her best friend.

Sakura stopped her healing and Sasuke tested his jaw appreciatively. The pinkette timidly fidgeted, glancing toward Naruto to see him nod encouragingly at her to make their relationship official, and she immediately lowered her gaze.

"We are..." The pinkette muttered like a teenager in love. "We are.." She repeated with girly giggles, her cheeks heating up just at the idea of telling someone else that she was with Naruto.

"They're dating." Sasuke butted in, fed up with her idiotic behavior. _'What was that for? Is Sakura still a twelve year old girl? How could such a talented woman be so dumb as soon as love was involved? What happened to her brain cells?'_

Sakura pouted at being deprived the joy of announcing it herself, but forgot about it quickly as the next instant a flurry blonde jumped on her to hug her tightly.

"I'm so happy for you! Naruto's a good guy!" Ino squealed, before abandoning Sakura to throw herself at the neck of the blond man. "I'm so happy for you too!"

"I'm glad that you're happy for us, but keep your hands off him... Now you know he's taken." Sakura threateningly growled at seeing the sexy blonde woman hanging on her boyfriend's neck.

"Mou! Forehead! Don't be so defensive. I'm not gonna steal him from you." Ino told her, releasing Naruto and taking her seat at his side. She elegantly crossed her legs and flipped her long ponytail over her shoulder. A small grin stretched on her face in a knowing manner, her blue eyes mischievously shining as she looked at her best rival. "I have a boyfriend too." She let slip the information.

Sakura assessed the sincerity of the blonde's confidence, her green gaze scanning for any sign of falsehood in case Ino had just spouted that out to not be left out of the race. It could be any man; the blonde woman had a long list of admirers. It could be nothing serious, and in this case, her flirt would not count as a boyfriend-boyfriend.

"Who?" The pinkette asked doubtingly.

Ino laughed her wonderful crystal laugh, one hand in front of her mouth to hide her smirk. "You had your own secret..." She winked. "I don't have to tell you."

Crossing her hand over her chest, Sakura eyed her suspiciously. "Bluff!" She called. She wasn't good at poker for nothing. It was an art to make your opponent lay their cards on the table.

It irked the Yamanaka heiress even as she knew Sakura was teasing her to just make her talk. "I'm not gonna say it." Ino held strong.

The pinkette narrowed her eyes, and then huffed. "You just don't wanna say because you know that your fleeting conquest isn't worth it, Pig." Sakura hammered again, knowing it was a low blow to her rival's pride.

Ino lifted her nose up, fuming, but still refused to fall for the trap.

"Aren't you dating the Hokage's assistant?" Naruto innocently asked, earning a twitch of the the blond woman's brow to be exposed so easily by him. How could he, who knew nothing, be able to pinpoint it? Had her interest for Shikamaru been so obvious even if she hadn't realized it herself?

Clapping excitedly, Sakura squealed. "Shikamaru! You're dating Shikamaru, aren't you?"

At the high of her natural stylishness, Ino looked at her nails as if being exposed wasn't bothering her. "You figured it out." She admitted with a smile in order to not lose face in front of her rival, as if it were just a trivial thing.

Sakura childishly snickered, knowing she had still won the match by finding out.

Pissed off, Ino retaliated. With her best sexy attitude, she very suggestively grazed her nail along the masculine jaw of the blond man at her side. "So you see, you have absolutely no reason to be afraid of me." She affirmed, enjoying the expression on Sakura's face at her little display.

So, seeing her effect, Ino decided to leave on a victory. "I guess you're in good hands for now. So I'll be on my way." She stood up, smoothing the material of her skirt. "See you later, Naruto-kun." Ino told him with a flirtatious wink to enrage her best friend.

The blond man nodded at first and then jolted. "Hey! Ino-chan! Can't you do the session now? It would save me from having to go to the hospital and leaving Sakura's side." He asked, thinking that he wouldn't want to impose on Sakura by making her walk around. It would be better for her to rest at home.

"Sure! We can stay; just the two of us in your room." Ino teased, seeking a reaction from the pinkette.

"There's an office, first door at your right." Sakura stepped in. "And don't forget, he is _my_ boyfriend." She insisted quite strongly.

Ino giggled, leading the amnesiac man to the designated office. The treatment wasn't very long, but as usual it was quite traumatic for Naruto. It like his brain was really making a point in gathering his worst memories. After that, the mentalist left and the blond man just went up to rest.

Sakura noticed her boyfriend's dejected face and decided to follow him. She found him lying on his bed, his back toward the door, and came to sit at his side. She gently caressed his hair and receiving no reaction, she understood that he was still too shocked to talk yet. What she had wanted to do for weeks, she could finally do. So she cuddled against him, her arm latching around his midsection. The night before, he was the one to reassure her by his presence and she hoped that somehow she could give him the same support.

His warm hand came up to cover her smaller one. A soft caress, and then he turned around completely to face her and engulf her in his embrace. His chin rested on the crown of her head. He stayed silent, just relishing in the comfort of her soft body in his arms. Sneaking an arm underneath his side, she squeezed him lightly, burying her face in his chest and listening to the regular drumming sound of his heart.

His voice broke the silence. "I'm fine, Sakura-chan. You don't have to worry about me." He tried to reassure her. He just needed a few minutes to himself to compose a mask of calmness. He didn't want to burden her with his state of mind when she had to deal with her own emotional turmoil.

Her brows twitched at his words, conscious that he was just trying to carry his pain alone. With a swing of her body, she forced his tall frame to lie on his back and she hovered above him, taking support from her elbows to face him.

"Baka!" She said, annoyed.

He frowned, not understanding why he received such an insult.

"Do you really think I shouldn't concern myself with you?" She questioned.

"But..."

"Shhh! Listen to me well, Naruto Uzumaki, once and for all. I am your teammate. I am your friend – _And_ your **girlfriend**! Don't think you can keep me at bay to brood all alone." She punctuated her statement with a kiss to the tip of his nose. "I'm gonna stick with you through and through." She kissed him on the forehead. "Because this is how we have always lived." She kissed him on his lips. "Understood?"

She was fiery. She was commanding. And she was his girlfriend. Who cared for the pain of the past when he could live his future with such a woman? A grin drew up the corner of his mouth and he crooked his neck to access her lips again. He was feeling so lucky to have her in his life. He knew that she would be able to keep him on track, whatever happened around them. If he were to do something stupid, she would undoubtedly say it to his face. If he were in pain, she would support him. And for her, he would become the strongest man on earth to protect her.

His tongue slipped between her lips, asking for permission, and she gladly allowed him in, responding with the same eagerness. His hand pressed against her back, forcing her to mold her feminine curves to his firm torso. He didn't need much to get aroused, just her in his arms was enough. So it was no surprise for him to feel the familiar tingling in his lower brain, filling up with blood to proudly stand in its virile glory.

Sensing the bulge growing against her hips wasn't particularly bothering her. The total opposite in fact. She was quite pleased with herself to have such a strong effect on him and to elicit the awakening of his male appendage. She had dreamed of it more than once since she discovered the realm of pleasure with him. She had wanted it and still wanted it, too. He was tempting as hell, but it was too soon.

"Naruto." Sakura mumbled his name as she tried to separate from him. "we – mmmm."

Her boyfriend didn't let her finish her sentence, too wrapped up in continuing his kiss and capturing her lips with his. It was so hard to stay sane in the mess of lust he was creating within her. Her body felt too hot, too small. Her skin tickled everywhere his hand passed. She wanted to be touched by him. She wanted to feel him. She wanted to be one with him. But she couldn't. So she pinned him to the bed with enhanced chakra strength to stop his tantalizing assault.

"We should wait..." She said, still panting from all the kissing.

Her hands were firm on her boyfriend's shoulders. He was stuck beneath her and at her mercy. Her green gaze traveled from his eyes to his chest, not daring to look further to the tip of the bulge pressed against her belly. Her heart raced as her inner-self suggested trying out the dominating position in a future sexual activity. A wave of warmth followed the idea, flushing her cheeks with an adorable pink color and increasing the heat in her crotch.

 _'Soon!'_ She mentally repeated not to rush things, promising herself a world of pleasure as a reward for her good conduct.

Naruto obediently nodded. He knew that it was too early to do anything too physical, but he couldn't stop himself. It was like his brain was short-circuited in favor of his lower one each time he had her in his arms. She released him and went to sit on the side to avoid the risk of slipping into their torrid frenzy again, and he looked down at the tent in his pants. He was good for a case of blue balls if he stayed like that. Sitting up, he ruffled his hair and wondered how he should bridge the subject, as being subtle wasn't really his forte.

"Mhmm Sakura-chan... I'm going to take shower really quick."

She eyed him suspiciously. He smelled fairly nice, her face previously buried in his chest having allowed her to confirm as much. She could bet he had already taken a shower this morning, and Naruto wasn't the type to take multiple showers a day. She was going to voice the inconsistency in his actions when she spotted his arm shift a little to press his arousal down and make it less noticeable.

 _'He was going to masturbate...'_ The thought made her blush, and the image of him pleasuring himself didn't leave her unaffected. Her hand came to rest on his forearm, close, very close to the bulge he was trying to hide, the tip of her fingers barely brushing his sensible appendage. She was bold, but who cares... It was her responsibility to please her boyfriend.

"I – I should help you with it." Sakura uttered with difficulty, her cheeks aflame. It was easier to say it in her head than to actually do it in reality.

Her blush was contagious as it spread in a violent red on his own face at understanding the meaning of her offer. He gulped, his throat tight with excitement, shyly nodding his head, not sure he could talk. Slowly, he moved his hand out of the way, letting the turgid member stand more conspicuously. His gaze passed from the formidable proof of his arousal to her face to asses her reaction. If he searched for a clue about what to do next, he found none. Sakura was just sitting still at his side, her eyes fixed on his manhood, the blush still on her face but with no added sign since she offered her help. He was suddenly doubtful. Did he understand her wrongly? Had his perverted brain interpreted whatever she said into one of his subconscious wishes?

On the other hand, Sakura was in another form of turmoil, her inner-persona going berserk in her head while she wasn't sure how to proceed. Should she rub him through his pants or …? She had some vague idea about how to pleasure him. She did, after all, understand the mechanics of male anatomy. They had sex together, true. So she was able to see him in his complete nakedness, but he had been the one in charge the whole time and she was so nervous instigating a sexual act. It wasn't like performing a medical act. She couldn't stay detached while manipulating his genital organ as she had done in the past on some of her patients to push their scrawny crumpled thing to the side in order to perform surgery. Naruto was her boyfriend. It was different. And it wasn't anything medically related. She felt vulnerable, exposed in all her kinky desires.

Sakura coughed, gathering her courage to actually do something. He slightly stiffened like in front of a judge, awaiting her verdict. Her hand, insecure, hesitantly brushed the fabric of his clothes, slowly moving toward his belt. Both their hearts raced. Naruto's breath hitched as her fingers untied the buckle, while Sakura was holding her breath as if it could keep her in control of her agitated emotions. For them, it felt like an excruciating eternity until the zip of his pants arrived at the bottom. Already the bulge seemed more prominent, only confined in his underwear. A slight tremor ran down her spine at the sight, feeling her body warm up in response. Her fingers latched onto the waistband and pulled it down gently. She pushed it past his hips with his help as he lifted himself to ease her task. His cock sprung free in all its glory, twitching and leaking as a clear sign of his excitement.

Sakura stopped, taking a moment to decide what to do next, or more _how_ to do it. She observed the large vein trailing his length and the bulbous purplish head with some precum oozing from a tiny hole on the top. She hadn't taken the chance to really look at it the last time they made love as she was too engrossed in the action and shy to do it. But now, she couldn't stop herself from staring in indecent fascination.

Naruto didn't dare to move or say anything. He was just burning silently that something was going to happen. Anything would be fine as long as it was Sakura. Her hand, her mouth, her boobs... Even a brush of her hair would be better than this agonizing wait. He was sure she could rub him with her foot and still achieve relieving him of the abominable pressure in his crotch. His skin tickled in anticipation, he was boiling, boiling to the point of rupture. His ears were now colored in carmine like his cheeks, and his blush extended in a pinkish hue to his neck and chest. Any moment now, Sakura, his Sakura, was going to do something to him.

His heart thumped in loud and violent bangs in his chest as he saw her hand approach his sensitive manhood. He bit his lips to keep a moan from escaping as her fingers gently laced around his girth. Just the thought of her. Just the thought was so intense that he could blow his load anytime soon. But he couldn't risk looking unworthy in front of her. Had he been lame when they had sex for the first time? How did he manage to control his excitation? Why was life so hard on him to have him forget that he made love with Sakura? It was too unfair!

The first pump. Naruto gasped, his heart trying to jump out of his mouth. Another. More blood invaded his already turgid member. Again. He had to close his eyes to concentrate. He couldn't fail so soon. He refused. But it was so hard. His Sakura was touching him with her soft and delicate hand. The movement became more regular, her grip more firm and assured. He creased the bed sheets in his fists, aroused.

Her hand worked up and down. She wasn't sure if she was doing it right. She had read about the subject, and Ino had teased her by revealing some tips on how to please a man. But it was still all new to her and there was a big difference in knowing the theory and in practice. So Sakura observed him, assessing his reactions to adjust her action. He seemed to be more responsive when she squeezed a little – and when she went faster, too. So she applied some more pressure and increased her speed. The pinkette smirked as she noted his hands rumple the linen at his side. So she stroked him with more enthusiasm.

 _'God! How sexy could he be when he is excited?'_

The way he was panting. The way he bit his lips to stifle a moan. The way his hips involuntary thrusted forward to accompany the movement of her hand. It made her want to drive him completely crazy. It was she who was making him like that. Because of her, that a small bead of sweat was forming on his neck. She loved this power she had over him. She loved to be the cause of his pleasure. She pressed more and he winced.

"Not so hard..." Naruto said between pants, his breathing labored with his physical arousal. His hand gently covered hers as a guide. "Go to the tip sometimes, please. The liquid will lessen the friction, it'll be better." He explained, showing her the movement.

His hand felt warm above her own, warm and solid. Sakura listened to him like a good student eager to make her practice perfect. In a way, if she had learned her anatomy lessons on a subject as sexy as Naruto, she would certainly have enjoyed her studying time more. She let him maneuver her on his length, her palm appreciating the softness of his skin on his hard and hot rod. She could feel it pulse, alive and powerful. Her hand passed the head, and Sakura saw his face twitched under the sensation. Her boyfriend was much more sensitive around this area, she noted. His voice sounded strained when he gave her the last bit of his explanation, as if he were having some difficulties to keep coherent phrasing as her hand reached the top. The substance at the hole felt strange. It was clear as water but with a more gooey-like texture. She knew what it was and what it was for. She felt a little ashamed of herself to not have thought of it before. In her defense, medical ninjutsu teaching wasn't particularly oriented in how to please, but more on how to heal. Anyway, Naruto had been clear on his preferences and thanks to that, she had a better idea of what she should do.

He grunted. ' _Good sign!'_ She was doing it right. The liquid was helping the strokes like lube. The corner of her mouth lifted at seeing his face take on those expressions of pleasure again. Naruto was mostly keeping his eyes closed, his focus solely on the bundle of sensations concentrated in his lower region. Sakura gave a firmer tug to his shaft, bursting his senses with a jolt. His cerulean eyes opened, revealing the beautiful shade of blue clouded with lust. It was too much, he was too desirable. If she could, she would have shredded their clothes to pieces and immediately made love with him. But she couldn't. _'Not now... two days more.'_ Her lips plunged to his mouth for an urgent kiss charged with all the hunger she felt for him. Her tongue battled ferociously with his and she swore to herself that she would heal herself enough to be able to be one with him in two days.

She was burning with desire for him. Their kiss was ravenous, passionate with all the frustration to not be able to have more. His scent was becoming muskier, working as a veritable aphrodisiac released in his sweat. One hand assiduously stroked him while the other was wandering on his chest. Her tongue explored his mouth with an imperious need to connect with him somehow. She wanted more. She wanted to make him writhe in pleasure. She wanted to show him how much she loved him – how much she desired him...

Naruto moaned in her mouth, overwhelmed with the load of sensation. He was so close to the edge. But it was so freaking good that he didn't want it to end. He wondered if anything in life could be better than this. Not even ramen held a candle next to his Sakura giving him a hand-job. The love of his life broke the kiss, a strand of saliva still connecting them as their tongues separated.

Her hand passed over the head of his cock and she felt the same liquid again. He liked it when it slid more. Sakura vaguely remembered Ino telling her the effect she had on a guy by taking his thing in her mouth. The idea traveled through her mind and was eagerly encouraged by her bold inner-persona. It was decided. The pinkette released her boyfriend's mouth and before doubt could make her hesitate, she leaned down to engulf his large cock in her mouth. It tasted salty, surely a mix of his precum and his sweat. She wouldn't qualify it as a delectable flavor. But she didn't mind, she didn't mind at all as she was rewarded by Naruto's sexy sounds and his quivering body.

He liked it! She was doing that to him!

If ever a neuron had functioned in his brain, it was grilled by now. Asphyxiated! There was not a single drop of blood left in his head. It seemed all of the vital substances went to gather in his genital organ to the point of exploding. Naruto panted, his breath erratic. He had to go back on his previous statement. There was indeed something better than a hand-job by his _Sakura-chan_ : a blow-job. He was sure he was dead and in heaven. Her mouth... Her lovely mouth stretched around his penis. Her mouth going up and down, sucking the head harder... her saliva dripping onto his length, and her sweet hand working the base of what couldn't fit in her warm haven. He couldn't ask for more!

Her mouth went down, sucking hard as to force herself further down. But she couldn't. He was too big, too long, too everything! She couldn't reach even half of his length that she was already choking on, his bulbous head hitting the back of her throat. So she had to complete the rest with her hand and quick flicks of her wrist. She could feel his thighs tremble under her breast as if he were restraining himself from thrusting forward as he had previously in her hand. She could taste his excitation as more precum oozed from the slit at the top of his cock. She could recognize the sign of arousal as his pulsating shaft throbbed madly. She was the one. She was the one putting him in this state. She felt proud, more proud with each of his pants, at the whimpers and moans he curbed by biting his forearm.

Her saliva escaped her mouth in a sloppy trail and Sakura noticed that it eased the work of her hand noticeably. With a loud pop, the pinkette released the head, and her tongue generously licked his cock from the top to the base while not missing anything from the spectacle of his facial expression. Inadvertently, her tongue slurped a little more down than what she aimed for on her second pass, and she saw Naruto shudder in response. Until now she hadn't given much attention to his testicles but it was true that they were quite sensitive organs, too. Wasn't it the weakest spot to hit a guy to overcome even the strongest opponent? This theory applied in another matter; she was sure to earn very interesting reactions from more sweet care.

First her tongue covered the surface of his testicles with her saliva, a few licks making him bang his fist against the mattress while his teeth imprinted their marks on his forearm to stifle his moans. Then she took them one after another into her mouth, gently sucking on his balls. His hand came to her head, grabbing her hair in between his tensed fingers. She didn't know if he wanted to push her away or to make her take more of him. She couldn't guess as he stopped himself, keeping his hand still, not giving her more indication. There were just his eyes, ardent with desire, fixing her with a crazed look as she continued to suck him. Not breaking the eye contact, she licked her way up to the top of his shaft and engulfed his length, replacing the up-and-down of her hand. Her green gaze enjoyed the show as his face cringed in pleasure when her second hand came to join the fun to fondle his testicles.

It was too much for him, even with the best intentions. Any normal man would have succumbed long ago. He proudly held out so long only by sheer determination, refusing himself from drowning in the pleasure offered, only to keep the wonderful sensation that his formidable girlfriend was allowing him to experience for a little while longer. None of his fantasies had been as good as that... or maybe not, some were really really good, but still, this was a real one and as a real one it counted double or triple! Everything he received from her today was incomparable! She was sucking him for god's sake! It was a feat in itself. He couldn't in all selfishness keep her doing so for long. Naruto could feel his over sensitive penis from top to bottom. A simple breeze would have been enough to push him over the edge. But better than a gust of air, he had the mouth of the love of his life doing wonders to his male appendage. He felt it, the incredible pressure in his crotch ready to explode.

"Sa – Sakura..." He uttered between moans. "...mov – hnnnn – cum..." Monosyllabic words were all he could do to warn her.

At his signal, she pulled away, her hand replacing it on his full length. Naruto voluntarily abandoned his concentration and let the sensations wash over him. It burst, violent, from of his previous bottled up excitation. The first spurt shot up unexpectedly high, hitting Sakura straight in the face. The second reached his neck in a long trail. Two other powerful shots marred his chest and the rest of it gushed out to his belly until his semen oozed onto her hand. Sakura wiped her face with her clean hand and watched the display, fascinated. There was no wonder how he got her pregnant from their first love making if he were able to release so much sperm.

Naruto was reclined against the headboard, taking support as his head was lost in the post-orgasmic daze. He was panting hard as if he had just finished a hard training workout, his mouth parted to let the air come and go in large puffs. His half-lidded eyes lovingly looked at her and he finally noticed the state he put her through.

"Sorry Sakura-chan..." Naruto mumbled, his reaction still a little slow. He turned to the side, his hand fumbling in the drawer of his nightstand. He pulled from it a box of tissues and handed it to her to help her clean herself.

Accepting the offering, Sakura grabbed a couple of tissues and tried to clean her face as much as she could from the sticky substance. "I think I'm gonna rinse myself of and change..." She said, seeing some white strains on her red shirt.

Naruto lazily nodded, his body still slack from his release. "Yeah, go first. I'll go after too. If you want stuff from your bag, I've put it near the wall." He pointed in the direction of the window wall and she spotted the bag she brought from home. The question 'Why is it here?' was clearly written on her adorable forehead, so Naruto thought it was his duty to explain. "I thought we could stay together in my room." He scratched his cheek lowering his gaze. "I mean, we're a couple, and... It was great sleeping with you in my arms." He added with a small shy smile. "But..."

She cut him off by putting a finger on his lips before he could suggest a stupid alternative like sleeping alone in her own room and stated assuredly, "It's more than fine by me."

Seeing her ready to move out of the bed, Naruto grabbed her wrist. "Wait! I want a kiss!" He demanded, extending his lips in a pout.

Sakura pushed his head to the side. "Stop your nonsense. I'll kiss you after I clean my mouth."

"I don't care!"

"Naruto, don't be stupid!" She berated him, embarrassed. She just had his penis in her mouth a moment ago, he couldn't be serious.

"I can kiss you just fine like that! You can kiss me afterward too if you want... I won't complain about more kisses." The blond insisted, forcing his head against her palm to face her. Without giving her a chance to protest, he kissed her, slipping his tongue into her mouth to show her that he absolutely had no reluctance in doing so. Feeling some tingling in his lower belly, he finally released her to look down. His tee-shirt was a mess and a pool of goo was gathered around his awakening cock. "Guess I should stop before getting hard again, and I might need to get changed too..." he mumbled more for himself.

Sakura eyed his penis. She couldn't believe that it was already ready to go in less than a couple of minutes and that just after a kiss. Part of her was happy to have him so responsive to her, but another part was maybe a little afraid to have to face Naruto's infamous limitless stamina.

"Can I go to clean myself?" She asked in fake annoyance.

Her blond boyfriend beamed from ear to ear, releasing her wrist. "Sure, love! See you in a moment for my second kiss."

Sakura arched an eyebrow at the new pet name he gave her, _love,_ while she went to retrieve a shirt in her bag.Wasn't he amnesiac? Didn't he forget everything about her and the love he had for her since their childhood? Wasn't he going a little too fast? Her inner-persona shrugged at all those questions while she kept fumbling through her garments. Who was she to complain? _Love_ was actually better than the other stupid nickname she had like _forehead_ or _ugly_. She was fine with _love_ but he shouldn't call her like that in public. It would be too embarrassing.

Once she found what she wanted, she walked back to the bed where Naruto hadn't moved, and gave him a quick peck on the cheek. "You can call me love only when we're alone ok?"

An adorable pout formed on his lips. "Why? It's cute like Sakura-chan! And admit that it's better than any of those shitty nicknames that this team came up with!" He argued.

Her mouth approached his ears sensually. "I could call you _Honey_ when it is just the two of us." She suggested her voice full of promise and the way she uttered _Honey_ was so erotic that he could do nothing else but nod while his penis hardened again. "I'm glad we could find an agreement." She finished, giving him a peck on the lips this time before leaving the room.

 **THANKS TO REVIEW, I HOPE YOU LIKED IT**


	30. Chapter 30

_**THANKS TO GINA TSUKIKO FOR BETA READING THE CHAPTER**_

 _Kuroneko215:thanks fo your support. I hope you continue to like it_

 _WindyCitySlayer1: thanks fo your support. I hope you continue to like it_

 _Dpmaragoni:I am sorry, I had cut short all the side stories so I won't develop Sasuke relationship with anyone. For Tsunade, I can see her only with Jiraya and unfortunatly he is dead. Thank you for being here._

 _Guest: Thank you for being here. Be fearless and enjoy your reading to the fullest_

 _Sinedd662: thanks fo your support. I hope you continue to like it_

 _Rivet94: I follow a pattern in my three stories. Naruto end up having his hair short (but I always try to find a different justification for it), he always ask her to marry him at their first time (on different circumstance also), and they have the same pet name (love and honey)… Honey work so well on Naruto with his blond hair. So this is just a whim of the author. Thank you for your suggestion._

 _Jani beccharelli: yes I switch from dark to light like live bring us up and down. Thank you for your support_

 _Joey91731:Indeed I wanted them to show their love through action. Thank you for being here_

 _LaDraig: thanks fo your support. I hope you continue to like it_

 _Alphadark19:I give a particular care in writing my lemon chapter. I am not a "fight" writer but at least in matter of love, I like to take my time to express it. I am glad you like it. Thank you for being here._

 _HeliosBlaze:Sakura always have been a brillant student hehe. And for the lime, I found that expressing the body only give only the lust, giving a glimpse of the emotions and mind express the love in it. Thank you for being here._

 _YeagerMeister31: Finally the secret is out of the bag; With Ino knowing, half of Konoha will know soon too. Thank you for being here I hope you continue to like it._

 _Katus293: thanks fo your support. If the readers weren't with me I would not have continued it. So it is thanks to you guys that this story will see its end. I hope you continue to like it until the last word._

 _Skillet:Welcome back! A lot have happened in the last few chapters. I am glad that you liked it. Thank you for being here._

 _Burninghell: I didn't develop a long lasting mourning. Sakura is a ninja, she can bottle up her emotions to keep moving forward and now she had Naruto's support, so it is easier for her to stand on her own to feet. But however it is not because you stop crying and keep you life going on that you don't have pain buried inside. I am glad that you like the lemon. thanks fo your support. I hope you continue to like it_

 _Demonic boy: When I see your insult, I am just wondering what type of human you are. I feel pity for you if your soul is so dark that it can only spread anger and hatred. Anyway, I am amazed to be able to read until chapter 29 just to say such horrible things. Have you really nothing to do better with your life?I wish you a pleasant day._

 _Maxslayer10: Things are clearing up, the story come close to its end. Thank you for being here. I hope you will like it until the end._

 _Marshmallow: Thank you for your support, I hope the wait wasn't too long. Enjoy your reading._

 _Eight heroes: I follow a pattern in my three stories. Naruto end up having his hair short (but I always try to find a different justification for it), he always ask her to marry him at their first time (on different circumstance also), and they have the same pet name (love and honey)… Honey work so well on Naruto with his blond hair. So this is just a whim of the author. Thank you for your suggestion._

 _Buanga:I prefer to keep my private life, private. But if you have a PM, I can tell you. Sakura will recover don't worry for her, she is a tough girl. Thank you for your support._

 _BlindSaya:Thak you for your support, you can try the cold shower if the fan don't work hehe_

 _Donthedarkdragon26: The story have really picked up, we are approaching the end… few chapters left. Thank you for being here._

 _Aewina-chwan: bon tu as deja eu ma reponse, mais merci encore!_

 _RSfan:I was afraid to have disappoint you with the miscarriage and that you had stopped reading. I am glad to see you back. Thank you very much to have take the time to write to me even when you were busy. I really appreaciate!_

 _HITMAN0569: Thank you very much. I hope you will like the next too._

 _AquaRules: Naruto had been dreaming of her since a while now. So knowing that she is his girlfriend, he had no reason to hold back. Thank you for being here_

 _Tiny tanaka: thank you for your support, I hope you will continue to like it._

 _ThatPageantGirl:I totally agree with you XD Thank you for being here_

 _Eremika: Your message touch me deeply. I really thank you for your kind words. This is for people like you that I have worked so hard, struggled and didn't give up. You are part of the reason this story was not abandonned. Thank you Thank you Thank you._

 ** _Chap 29: In the very moment_**

The ruffling sound of paper was the only sound occupying the lounge. Sasuke was, as most could describe him, a quiet and discreet man. The Uchiha heir turned another page of his newspaper, peacefully sipping his coffee as his two teammates walked down the stairs. His dark gaze abandoned his reading for the briefest instant to glance at the pair. Naruto seemed to be in a far better mood than after his treatment, and Sakura... Sakura, too, it seemed. Uninterested, his eyes returned to the article he was reading, not bothered to acknowledge the return of the two love birds.

The couple came to sit in front of him on the other couch, their faces smiling friendly. Sasuke fumbled in his pocket and without a word, extended a small message to his teammate before returning to his reading. Sakura opened the folded piece of paper and quickly scanned the content.

"When did it arrive?" The pinkette asked.

"When you were really busy with each other." Sasuke replied blankly, unfazed by the situation.

The couple blushed at the implication of his words and the Uchiha heir darted an eye toward them. "Why are you looking so surprised? If you don't want to be heard, you should put a soundproof seal on the room before doing your stuff." The raven haired ninja commented, turning another page of his newspaper.

Sakura composed herself, letting her inner-self deal with her embarrassment, and professionally returned to the real subject at hand. "Did you send a reply to Shikamaru?" She questioned.

"Yeah, I told him that we took notes of the information and that I would leave when you are ready to take on your duty."

"I'm fine, I can take care of the job!" She affirmed.

"Anyway, I have to wait for the moron to be out of the hospital." Sasuke stated.

"The moron, as you call him, has a name: Sai. It would be easier if both of you tried to become friends." Sakura insisted.

"I kept him alive. That's more than my part of the deal." The Uchiha heir countered.

Sakura huffed at his stubbornness. There was no way to convince him. Sasuke only listened to himself or sometimes Naruto. She could understand that Sai was difficult to deal with, as the man had absolutely no common sense, but he was still a good guy and their teammate. She was glad that at least Sasuke had a sense of duty to keep him safe.

"I'm going to prepare lunch," she said, standing up from the couch.

Naruto followed her into the kitchen. "Go rest, I'll be the one cooking."

"I'm not in the mood for ramen" _'Actually, just thinking about ramen makes me want to cry as it reminds me of my craving for the baby.'_ She pinched her lips to prevent them from quivering. "I'm going to cook curry, it's easy. Is that good for you?"

Her boyfriend nodded, and then offered. "Can I help you do something?"

"No, I'm fine by myself." She affirmed, hiding her inner wound.

"But Sakura-chan…"

"You don't have to be so protective. I'm healed and it don't hurt or anything. At the very least, in a couple of days, we'll even be able to go all the way together." Sakura suggestively announced, trying to lighten his concern. "So go now! You're distracting me." She shooed him out of the kitchen.

XXXXXXXXX

Sasuke returned to his reading, bringing his cup to his lips, while his best friend fidgeted restless on the couch, looking at him. It didn't bother him. His eyes stayed riveted to the words and he just kept ignoring the forever hyperactive blond idiot sitting across from him. Sasuke was like that, full of silence. Not the oppressive type of silence, or the one heavy with resentment... No, Sasuke just didn't like to talk. He could spend the whole day with his best friend and not have a single thing to say if Naruto didn't speak to him. But as it often happened, the blond instigated the conversation.

"Hey Sasuke, Can you show me your seal stuff?"

"Ask Sakura later, she knows how to do them."

"Ah? You're busy?"

"Hn." The Uchiha replied in his monosyllabic habit, his focus still on his article.

Naruto looked right and left for a moment, slightly rocking in his seat as he thought. He scratched the back of his head as if searching for a way to start a conversation, then huffed. Sasuke didn't mind, it was just Naruto's usual idiocy. All of a sudden, the blond stood up and walked in direction of the corridor. Hearing the fumbling coming from the shoes cabinet, Sasuke lowered his newspaper.

"What are you doing Naruto?" The Uchiha heir asked, feeling there was something odd going on.

"I'm just going to a shop really quick and coming back."

"Dobe! Wait for me, you're not supposed to go anywhere without me or Sakura, remember?" The raven haired man said, abandoning his reading on the table and standing up. He couldn't let him go alone, even inside the village. Shikamaru had specified in his message that word about Naruto's amnesia had leaked outside. Who knew when or where an attack might occur against the future Hokage.

"But I'm just going nearby and I'll be super quick!"

Sasuke appeared at the corner of the corridor, his face emotionless like usual. He didn't say a thing as he put his shoes on, and in tacit agreement accompanied his best friend to the shop.

A dark brow arched in curiosity, seeing where the blond wanted to go. The two men entered the pharmacy and Sasuke followed his best friend through the aisles. He had wondered at first if Naruto hadn't come to buy some medicine for Sakura, however he was sure by now that it was related to her but on a whole different level. Stoic as ever, the Uchiha heir stayed standing still as the crouched blond fumbled through the display. Sasuke wasn't one to be easily unsettled, however he didn't exactly feel at home buying condoms with another man.

Naruto mumbled to himself, reading out-loud the different name brands and their specific properties. Words like 'extra pleasure', 'sensitivity extreme', or 'king size', kept trashing with the global quietness of the shop in the total unawareness of the blond. Sasuke tried to cough in his hand to make his best friend realize his actions. He kicked his foot once or twice, without much success either. His head turned on the side to ignore the awkwardness of the situation, but his eyes caught the intense gaze of the clerk and even worse was when he saw her smiling at him.

Naruto grabbed Sasuke's sleeve to attract his attention; "Hey Sasuke, which one do you think is the best?"

"Don't involve me in your sexual life! Take one of them and let's go!" Sasuke grumbled angrily, pushing his hand away.

Naruto looked at him, surprised at his outburst, still with his two different colorful boxes in hand. "It's not that easy to choose! There so many different kinds! Can you imagine some of them even have flavor?"

The Uchiha heir had made a rule in his life to stay stoic in all situations, but Naruto was always able to push him to his limit. "Anything will be fine! Just take a box." He hissed, a light pink hue dusting his cheeks.

The next instant, the clerk materialized out of nowhere at their side and Sasuke wondered if civilian people working in the customer service industry didn't learn a trick or two from ninja to always appear so suddenly. Displaying two full rows of perfect white teeth, the saleswoman warmly greeted them, her eyes already glancing at the objects Naruto was holding in his hands.

"May I help you?" She offered in the usual commercial tone proper to any clerk.

Naruto blushed at the idea of discussing his sexual issue with a stranger. He couldn't really confide in her about what he wanted to do with his girlfriend, as Sakura worked in the medical field and was certainly known by all the people in the industry. So the blond simply brushed her off.

"Huh- no! We're fine, thanks!"

The woman looked between the two, and a small giggle escaped her lips that she hastily hid behind her hand as she arrived to her own conclusion. "We're having a promotion on our latest products." She said, pointing to the first shelf and returning to a more professional attitude.

Naruto read the name on the bottle on the right. _Lube extra glide._ Then he squinted his eyes to read the smaller letters beneath the title. _Intense pleasure. Continue lubrication. Perfect for anal penetration._

 _'Sakura would never let me try that...'_

"Ah- no, thanks! I'll just take one of these..." The blond blabbered, showing his condom box.

"You sure?" The woman genuinely insisted. "It's a good deal; you can have two for the price of one." She took a condom box near the bottle. "It says that the extra thin membrane makes the sensation more natural." She said, not at all flustered to talk with a guy about such a subject.

Naruto glanced at Sasuke as to ask his opinion, and the dark-haired shinobi thought about killing his best friend there and then.

"Don't ask me, it's for your girlfriend." Sasuke harshly replied to lift any potential doubt off them. He was really fed up with Naruto's clumsiness and the incongruity of the situation.

The woman gave a hungry look at her dark-haired customer. _'So they're not gay... is he single?'_

Naruto looked torn for a second between the two boxes and finally dropped them both to take the one on the promotion shelf. "Natural is better!" He tried to appear decided. "Who would want some strawberry flavor anyway? Hahaha!" He laughed, a blush dusting his cheeks.

Sasuke internally growled as he followed the blond to the cashier. He wondered how Naruto always managed to bring him into humiliating situations these days. If it weren't for his bodyguard duty, he would have abandoned him to not be mixed up in this mess.

The return trip to the house was as entertaining as a funeral procession with Sasuke's uninviting mood until the blond decided to open his mouth again. "There was quite the choice... I never thought that so many kinds could exist."

"Hn"

"No really, it was hard to decide."

"Hn."

"What do you use?"

"..."

Naruto's gaze turned towards his best friend at his lack of response. "You don't want to answer me or...?"

The dark glare darted to the side to meet the curious blue eyes. "Shut up! It's none of your business!"

The corner of Naruto's mouth lifted up, a snicker ready to explode. "Don't tell me you're a virgin...?"

The raven haired man clicked his tongue in annoyance.

"You see, with your face, I would have thought you had a real harem..." Naruto continued to tease him. "But you need to work more on your character; you're too inconsiderate. Take the girl at the shop, I'm sure she would have loved to date you, she didn't stop flirting with you at the register."

"Shut the hell up!" Sasuke menacingly hissed. It was unbelievable how the blond was able to piss him off more and more often, proof that the amnesiac man was coming back to himself. "If you add one more comment, I swear I'll make sure you'll never have kids."

A quick glance at the menacing blade at his best friend's back gave a heavy impact to the threat on his genital organs and made Naruto bite his tongue to not push his luck further. "Hahaha! No need to get angry! I was just gonna ask you if you had someone you liked, that's all!"

"No! So now shut up!"

"You're really no fun, Teme."

"What part of 'shut up' don't you understand, Dobe?"

XXXXXXXXXX

After lunch, Sasuke quickly excused himself to leave the table. The repetitive glances his best friend was giving Sakura were annoying him; he didn't like being the third wheel and preferred the calm of his room than witnessing their lovey-dovey state. It was incredible how much things had changed between them in a short span of time. Yesterday morning all was normal, and since Naruto discovered he was in a relationship with Sakura, it seemed the blond could do nothing but follow her as a faithful dog.

He could understand his best friend's attention toward his girlfriend. They just lost their unborn child. But still… Wasn't it too much? As soon as he saw the blond this morning, all Naruto could talk about was Sakura: how he wanted to accompany her, how she looked better after the night's rest, how she shouldn't push herself. And if that weren't enough, he had to go buy two boxes of condoms with the idiot. No really, it was too much for one day. So he closed the door to his room, planning on a relaxing afternoon of reading far from both of them.

Sakura watched her teammate leave. Not that she expected Sasuke to stay with them for a nice chat, but she found him even more distant than usual. Was he angry with her for monopolizing Naruto so much? Was he feeling awkward after overhearing the suggestive sounds coming from Naruto's room? As always, it was hard to say what was going on in Sasuke's head. But she was sure of one thing: she didn't want to see him drift away because of her relationship with Naruto.

Naruto stood up afterward, gathering the plates to bring them into the kitchen. "I'll do the cleaning as you did the cooking." He told her, giving her an innocent peck on the cheek.

Sakura discreetly touched her cheek where his lips once were as she watched him leave. Then she stupidly blushed at his gentle attitude towards her. Since that morning Naruto hadn't stopped trying to help her with anything she was doing. It was simple but so kind. She felt a small thrill running down her spine, timid bubbles of happiness rumbling in her belly. She had wished for so many weeks for him to be close to her, to stop avoiding her, and today he was giving her his undivided attention. She knew part of it was because he was worried for her since her miscarriage, but she couldn't bring herself to refuse his kindness. She needed him right now and would take whatever he gave her, bask in his care, and greedily keep him just for herself.

When Naruto came back a few minutes later, Sakura was busy reading a medical scroll. He sat on the couch near her and took a peek at what was written in it. There were too many complicated formulae for him to look at it for more than a minute without having a headache, so instead he studied her profile. She still looked pallid in his opinion and he didn't like the idea of her tiring herself for his sake.

"Maybe you should rest today…" He told her, caressing her cheek gently.

The touch on her cheek made her wish to be able to carry this softness for good. She closed her eyes and relished in his contact, pushing her face in his hand more to feel the warmth of his palm on her skin. At that second he was her everything and if her research weren't so indispensable in finding a cure, she would have thrown her scroll on the table just to hug him.

"It's important that I keep searching." She lazily said, eyes closed, still enjoying her moment of peace.

"Sakura-chan, look at me." He demanded.

His irises were so blue, so pure and warm like a summer sky. His gaze was serious, determined even, without being severe. She could read thousands of emotions whirling within those infinite pools. Naruto was all but expressionless, and somehow his rough honesty was terribly heartwarming at that moment.

"There would be no point for me to recover if you fall sick trying to find a cure. I can live without my memories, but I can't live without you." He declared.

Her heart sped up, pounding against her ribcage. She felt so alive, so alive to be loved by him. She smiled tenderly, touched by his concern. "I promise, I won't push myself too hard. But I can't stop when the answer might be in one of those books. I want you to get better. You were injured because of me, it's normal that I help you get out of it."

His thumb caressed her cheek, his gaze not leaving her for the briefest instant. "Sakura-chan…" Her name rolled off his tongue, sweet and tender, as one could say 'I love you'. Actually, it nearly had the same meaning to him as all his love was focused on her being. "I'm gonna be here tomorrow and the day after. Just for today, please… just for today put those scrolls down and be with me only." His hand slid from her neck to her arm, and slowly he lowered her hand with the scroll.

The temptation was great. His cerulean eyes were so inviting and his voice enchanting. She couldn't move spellbound to his will as he smoothly encircled her with his arms. There, her head against his chest, she felt safe, she felt at home and she didn't want to ever get away from his embrace.

"Naruto…"

"Just stay with me like this." He said, making them both lie on the couch, keeping her against his heart. "Just like this…" he repeated, softly caressing her hair.

"Naruto…" She said again, lifting her verdant gaze toward him.

He smiled, lovingly pushing a few strands off of her forehead and kissed it gently. He remembered the first time he saw her, in that hospital room as he knew nothing and no one. At that time he hadn't known anything about her, she was just a cute woman. However, after just spending a few days with her, he fell in love with her all over again, more and more. He fell for her kindness, for her courage, for her resilience and even her fiery temper. She was so fascinating, delicate and strong all at once. He guessed that he loved everything about her by now and if he couldn't recover his memories, he would create new ones with her. It didn't matter anymore as long as he had her.

"Take a nap with me… You will work later once you've rested." He whispered, deaf to any of her protests.

There was nothing new in his stubbornness but instead of making her point valid through her fists like in the past, she decided to comply with his request and enjoy for just a short moment this providential nap with him. "Only for a few minutes." She confirmed.

"Yeah – whatever, just rest for now."

Nestling her head against his shoulder and breathing his unique scent, she let herself be lulled by the calming sound of his heart. In that very moment, with him, there was nothing else but him. She was comfy and she had to admit to herself that she was more tired than she thought. She could feel her consciousness slip away, soothed by the gentle stokes on her back. It didn't take her long to succumb to the blissful oblivion, her body now slack against his warm torso.

For a while, Naruto kept staring at her, listening to the sound of her calm breathing. He would have squeezed her, finding her absolutely adorable, if he weren't afraid to wake her up. But he refrained from doing so, aware that she was more exhausted than she allowed herself to show. She always acted tough, forcing herself to her limit, giving her all to everything. He didn't need to know her for long to notice all that she did for him. He knew that she stayed up late incessantly reading those books in the lounge every night. He cowardly hadn't interfered with her work, thinking that it wasn't his place to do so, thinking that it was safer for their friendship to not get involved with her too much. But now, it was different. Now, she was his. There was no guilt in approaching her. It was his special duty – no, his privilege! – to take care of her and he wouldn't let her jeopardize her health for him, whatever argument she pushed forward.

XXXXXXXX

It was already sunset when Sai arrived at Naruto's house. He had received his mission orders and got his final check up to be released from the hospital earlier that day. He had preferred to come in person to fetch his mission partner instead of sending a messenger bird as it gave him the opportunity to greet his best friend. Noiselessly landing in the backyard, the artist gave a quick glance through the lounge window. Curious, he tilted his head, observing the strange occurrence and pulled his notepad out of his pocket to draw the couple snoring in each others arms.

The next instant, the Uchiha heir showed up at his side on the terrace and Sai didn't lift his eyes to acknowledge his presence, not surprised to have been spotted by such an elite shinobi.

"I'm nearly done" The artist informed him, darkening the paper with efficient strokes.

The former rogue ninja nodded, crossing his arms over his chest and waiting for his mission's burden to finish.

"I'm genuinely surprised at seeing them together." Sai remarked, continuing his sketch. "Did they hook up during our last mission?"

Sasuke glanced at the couple and snorted. "No, it seems those sneaky fools kept it secret for a while."

"How long?"

"I didn't ask, but from before the incident for sure."

"How can you not ask?" Sai questioned, intrigued.

"It's not my business."

"I've read that friends should keep informed of their friends' situation." The former ROOT member proudly recited, showing the inexistent bond Sasuke had with his friends.

The sharingan user frowned, glaring at the artist. "If you don't want to end up with a book stuck in your throat, you should keep your reading to yourself."

"Mhmm. I guess you're not my friend even after our last mission…" Sai commented.

"Not even in a million years, moron. Now shut up and let's go." Sasuke entered the house to inform his teammate that he would be departing for his mission, and Sai followed him inside.

Sakura awoke to the discreet sound of the sliding door and recognized the silhouette of the two men coming in. Self-conscious of her position on Naruto's chest, she quickly sat up to be more proper. Sasuke glanced at the still sleeping blond, and then told her that he was leaving, while Sai dropped his drawing on the table and amiably waved at her.

The exchange was short and spartan, efficient as Sasuke liked them, and they departed the next instant. Sakura sighed, embarrassed and relieved at the same time. It was still awkward for her to be seen with Naruto and the perceptive smirk on the artist's face wasn't helping to not make her feel caught red handed either. A little curious, she took the paper Sai left behind and her blush darkened.

Her face matched her red top when Naruto finally opened groggy eyes as his hand couldn't find his girlfriend on his chest. He saw her, sitting on the edge of the couch, holding a piece of paper in her hand.

"Already working?" The blond inquired, ruffling his hair and yawning afterward.

"Ah? No. Sai gave you a drawing before he left with Sasuke for their mission." She passed him the page.

Naruto looked at the sketch with a small smile, and then frowned at the note at the bottom, angrily grumbling, "Bastard!"

She nodded, agreeing with him. "Sai's sense of humor is out of touch." She commented while standing up, stretching her arms above her head.

"There's a difference between humor and insult." Naruto mumbled to himself. If the drawing of Sakura sleeping in his arms wasn't that good, he would have torn the sheet to pieces. Instead he chose to scratch out the note to erase the stupid comment about his penis.

XXXXXXXX

The evening went uneventful, just the two of them together. They ate, they made small talk and stayed cuddled together on the couch. Naruto thought he could easily get used to living with his girlfriend as he was flipping through a magazine while she studied again. He liked having her in his arms. She fit perfectly. It was as if he had been made to hold her. Her body was the ideal match for his, with her head finding rest on his shoulder and her thin frame against his torso. His hand leisurely caressed her, and she appreciatively hummed at the care.

Life was good together. It felt right.

Afterward, as to not stay up too late, Naruto guided her up the stair, gently holding her hand. Sakura let herself be pulled, enjoying his warm palm. She felt her heart strangely speeding up. She already had sex with him and she even slept with him in her room the day before in the turmoil of her depressed state. But it was new for her to be the one joining him in his bed… in his room. She blushed, timidly glancing at him as she followed him.

Naruto was straightforward, and didn't seem to have any afterthoughts. As naturally as one could be, he just brushed his teeth and went directly to bed while she was still wondering in which type of nightwear she should dress in. She stood for a while in front of her bag in her room, facing her different possibilities. She had her comfy sweatpants and shirt she used to wear alone, a more appropriate sleepwear made of a strap top and shorts that were simple and somewhat cute. Her eyes warily darted to the side to her last item: The Forbidden Nightdress. She shook her head, chasing the memories of it, and how Naruto slammed the door shut after seeing her, away. She grabbed the silky material and stuffed it far into her bag to not have to ever face such a shame, and then proceeded to dress in the safest choice.

Sakura appeared a few minutes later in the doorframe of her boyfriend's room. The dim light of the bedside lamp gave the room an intimate atmosphere. Naruto was already waiting for her under the thin blanket, his head propped on his hand. He was somewhat surprised to see her in simple pajamas. She was cute; Sakura was always cute in his point of view. But he wondered if she hadn't chosen those type of clothes instead of her sexy nightdress to silently ask him to not try anything sexual with her.

Sakura didn't move immediately, her feet rooted to the ground. She felt his gaze on her, and she nearly quivered at the impression of being under a spotlight. It was a mystery of why was she so shy with him when she had known him since childhood. It wasn't the first time that they slept together and she had wished for it for a while. However, it only seemed to increase her nervousness.

A smile illuminated Naruto's handsome face as he patted the place beside him to invite her to join. Gathering her courage with a large intake of air, she stepped forward towards the bed. He lifted the bed sheets and she nearly stopped again, seeing him wearing only his underwear. Naruto was sexy, too damn sexy. Trying to reign in her agitation, she climbed onto the mattress and rested her head on her pillow, her body a reasonable distance from the unbearable temptation of his nearly naked body.

Her boyfriend didn't consider for a single second that she had purposely left space between them and he came snuggling against her, ruining all her plans to calm down. His hand cautiously caressed her belly and she blushed, realizing that Naruto acted comfortable around her because he thought that they had already been in such intimate situation. What else could he think when he was told the day before that he was the father of her lost child?

"Ya know Sakura-chan, I love you." Naruto murmured shyly. "I've been watching you for a while now…from the beginning. I was told that you were my friend, but I came to like you."

"Naruto…"

He continued his confession, cutting her short. "I told myself that I shouldn't, I thought you liked Sasuke." Naruto gave a small peck to her nape. "But I couldn't stop and I liked you more and more." He tightened his embrace. "I don't remember much of my past. I don't remember us or what you liked and disliked. I don't remember, but it didn't stop me from loving you." His head snuggled more into her neck, his voice coming out as a low whisper. "Teach me! Tell me everything that I have to know about you! Tell me how to become again the man that you once loved."

A tremor ran through her heart, she turned her head around to see him. His blue eyes didn't turn away. He looked back at her with determination and honesty. He loved her, there was no doubt about it. It warmed her to the core. He wasn't with her out of duty, he loved her.

"Naruto, I'm in love with you already."

"If you love me as I am…don't hurt yourself in trying to bring back my memories. I don't want to see you hurt because of me."

"You can't ask me that…" She protested.

"I know you will find a cure, but I refuse to have it at the price of your health." He kissed her forehead. "Let's just make new memories for now on…"


	31. Chapter 31

**_THANKS TO GINA TSUKIKO FOR BETA READING THE CHAPTER_**

 _Donthedarkdragon26: the remainning of the story is 2 chapters in number but cut in 3 to 4 part published depending of my mood. I don't think I will work for anytime soon on another projet. Thank you very very much for your kinds words. I am deeply touched. I am so glad I managed to enjoy the stories. It is for people like you that I work._

 _LaDdraig:Thank you the next update will be a little late_

 _Tiny tanaka:I love it! I am so glad to make you feel this way. Thank you to have shared your reaction with me. It mean a lot to me._

 _ThatPageantGirl:I am so glad you laughed with the pharmacy moment and loved the narusaku. Naruto is so cuuutte…. Thank you for being here_

 _AquaRules: Thank you! I am happy that you liked it. The pharmacy was just a lttle extra just for the fun of it._

 _Guest: Thanks_

 _Eight heroes: Thank you for your constant support I really appreaciate it! I am glad you like the fluffiness of the narusaku_

 _Ultrachols: Thank you! I am glad you liked it_

 _Marshmallow:Thank you very much! This is not the last chapter. There is 31 chapters (number written on the chapter, not the number of part published). Here we are at chapter 30 part 1. Next will come chapter 30 part 2 (the chapter was a bit long)… and then I have to decide if I cut the last chapter in 2 part too. So hang on and stay with us until the end! Thank you for being here_

 _Guest: … thanks_

 _Skillet: The condom part was an small extra just for the fun of it. Thank you for being here!_

 _YeagerMeister31: Sai is teasing just out of friendship (It is akward but not with evil intent). I will let you discover how their relationship evolve for the rest ;) Thank you for being here_

 _WindyCitySlayer1: The next publication will be late, so sorry in advance. Thank you for your support_

 _Kuroneko215: I am glad you liked at the pharmacy. I had a lot of fun writing it. Thank you for being here_

 _CapriSunnyD:I am quite curious to see more detail about how you would have liked the story. If you can depend your suggestions in PM, I would be glad to read them. Thank you for your opinion_

 _BlindSaya: If you find a Naruto in real life, let's make a clone out of him… I would love to have one like him too! Hahaha! I am so glad you enjoy it. Thank you for being here_

 _Aewina-chwan: Je t'attendrais patiemment car j'aime toujours autant tes mots. Je les gardes precieusement dans un coin pres de mon coeur. Ils sont mes recompenses, mes boucliers et la corde qui me tient pour ne pas abandonner. Merci_

 _Katus293:I am so glad to make you like Wednesdays and to be part of your joy. Thank you for sharing your thoughts with me. Unfortunately next update might not be on Wednesday… sorry_

 _Dpmaragoni: There won't be much about Ino and Shikamaru as I had cut short all the sides stories. I am sorry. I am happy that you like the pharmacy moment. It was a little extra just for the fun. Thank you for your support!_

 _Joey91731: Thank you so much! I am glad you like the chapter the narusaku part and the funny moment with naruto and sasuke._

 _RSfan:Thank you I am glad that you're still here. I love to develop those moments, but unfortunately I shortened them to finish the story faster._

 _Touken: I am so happy that you have fun with this will come soon indeed between NaruSaku. Thank you for being here._

 ** _CHAP 30 - PART 1: Bloody Cherry_**

The forest was far behind them, creating a formless dark bundle at their back. In front of them was a single road that ran through the middle of endless crop fields. The dirt path meandered from right to left, up the hills and between the houses. There were few scarecrows, guarding the precious plants before the harvest. Their old straw hats were fixed on round heads made of burlap bags stuffed with hay, while their gaunt bodies were just branches covered in rags. It was eerily calm, not a single bird was watching from afar on the few trees around. There was just the slight rustling of the wind through the stalks and the leaves.

"It's strange." The former ROOT ninja remarked. "It's too calm, I don't like it."

Sasuke nodded, agreeing with his teammate for once. They had walked for a while now and they hadn't met anyone. The village they were asked to visit was supposedly of a significant size with a lot of trading going on. The farmers of the region sold the best crops every year and the economy attracted a lot of merchants, ready to make a detour through the valley to have the finest products.

The Uchiha heir searched on all sides for a clue. Something deep down was making him feel uneasy. It was as if he were being watched, but he couldn't sense anyone. There was no trace of life, no chakra whatsoever. His eyes scanned the field. For a second he thought he'd seen a shadow near one of the barns only for it to be nothing more than an old rag fluttering in the wind attached to the door.

The two shinobi moved with caution, their hands on the hilts of their weapons. It was in those rare cases where his eyes weren't enough that Sasuke regretted the absence of his former teammate, Karin. The woman was annoying, more clingy than glue, but she had exceptional talent for chakra sensing. She would have been able, without doubt, to pinpoint the location of every person surrounding them.

The discreet grinding of the dirt under their feet was barely making any noise, their gait and footing light like only elite shinobi could be. They followed the trail, their senses alert, but nothing moved. There was nothing except the strange feeling, sinking deeper in their guts, telling them that something was wrong.

They continued until the sky slowly embraced his cloak of shadow, the last color of the sun bleeding into the horizon. Now the field was trading his golden shade for a more orange one. Sai stopped, crouching down to touch the ground. He kneaded between his fingers a darker piece of dirt. The material was crumbly, leaving a black stain on the pulp of his thumb and index. It didn't have much of a scent, so the artist assumed that it could be coming from a material burned to crisp.

"You said that the last village on our previous mission burned completely?" Sai asked for confirmation.

Coming closer to his partner, Sasuke looked over the artist's shoulder to see what could have led him to such a question. He saw the small burned fragments scattered on this part of the trail. It could be nothing significant. However, after what he had witnessed in his last mission, he couldn't think of anything else than an inferno engulfing a village.

"We should move quicker before it's too late." Sasuke affirmed.

Not wasting any more time, the duo jumped at full speed towards their next destination. Their silhouettes rapidly disappeared in a blur, while a shadow emerged from behind the trunk of a tree. The black orbs fixed on the horizon, following the leaving figures until they became nothing more than dots in the background. It was a kid of barely thirteen years old, body emaciated, clothes torn to shreds and feet covered in cuts. He looked more like a zombie than an actual living being. His face was expressionless and his eyes completely dark, as if the orbs had turned into two empty holes. Even with this ghostly appearance, the body moved. Hidden between the high stalks, the boy crossed the field, unnoticed of all. He was going north, where his next sacrifice was. He didn't need a compass to know his way. He was bound to them by a mark on their bodies. Each of them was important for him to recover his full power.

The two shinobi stopped in front of the tall gate of the village. The wood of the fence was reduced to charcoal. Wisps of smoke leisurely danced from blackened forms. Sasuke didn't need to see the rest to know what happened here, he vividly remembered the previous drama: the screams, the horror and then the silence. The smell of burned flesh stuffed the air and the Konoha ninjas covered their mouths with pieces of cloth as they entered what was left of the village.

The houses were on the verge of crumbling down. Corpses were lying in the middle of the street in every corner. Sai went to search in the ruins for eventual survivors while Sasuke observed their surroundings. The ground was still covered with sticky red liquid, the corpses intertwined in an ultimate battle. Pickaxes, knives, bricks, shards of glass, whatever could become a weapon was embedded in the flesh of another. Faces distorted in final grimaces, bodies torn and awkwardly bent like abandoned puppets, the sharingan user could easily guess from the spectacle that the townsfolk were victims of another collective hallucination, bringing them to kill each other.

Sasuke walked through the streets. The place was still fuming proof that the disaster had happened not so long ago. There was not a soul to be saved, but he still continued further, deeper. His feet carried him to the slums of the village, where the shacks now resembled a pile of burned junk. He didn't exactly know what he searched for or why he came here. His eyes scanned the wreckage, the parts of limbs protruding in unnatural angles from under the rubble.

His instincts told him to look for one of those kids, the ones from the fort, to confirm if they were related. But the Uchiha heir couldn't validate his presumption as he couldn't recognize any of the faces. The corpses were of kids, simple slum kids, or family living in poverty, forsaken humans. There was not much left of them, so he just walked away into another den of hell, crisscrossing between the ruins.

The fourth member of team seven soon joined him, appearing on the remains of a wall. "There's nothing left here, we should get going." Sai suggested, curiously looking at his teammate crouched on the ground in front of a peculiar dark stain. "Is it something important?" The artist asked.

"In the last village, the one orchestrating the massacre had disappeared into ashes. There was nothing left of him; no flesh, no bones and no teeth. This smudge is wide enough to be a kid's body." Sasuke showed with his finger the indistinct forms on the ground. "This could be a hand and here the head."

The artist blinked and a small smirk crept on his lips. "In an abstract art, it could be anything. I don't know how you managed to see a kid in this but you have more imagination that I gave you credit for. However, if you think it matters, I will consider your opinion."

Sasuke frowned refraining from breaking the neck of his watchman. "It doesn't really matter. It doesn't give us more clues on how to prevent or stop the drama from happening. The only thing we can suppose is that if the culprit disappeared into ashes in each village, it means that there must be another mastermind playing the puppeteer."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Naruto joined his hands in prayer in front of the gravestone of his former teacher, Jiraiya. He'd remembered the man in his last session with Ino and had especially asked his girlfriend to let him go pay his respects to the grave.

The session had been heartrending as his warm feelings towards his teacher were intertwined with the pain of losing him. The blond junchuuriki had remembered many things that time, as if a lot of those memories had securely been bottled up together. He'd cried that day, some tears of regret, others of nostalgia, and for once, he told everything to Sakura. He'd confided in her, his head resting on her breast and a hand on her belly.

She'd patiently listened to him, sometimes chuckling with her boyfriend when he related some particular amusing moments he had shared with his teacher, sometimes soothing his grief by caressing his hair in a tender way.

The words were hesitant as if he were putting together the puzzle pieces of his life. All these short moments of his life were jumbled, but Naruto managed to depict in his mind the figure of a man who cared for him. Even if he didn't remember everything, he knew the man was important to him. He recognized the feeling of pride or affection he had toward the person he called 'Pervy Sage'

Naruto crouched down, his hand brushing the letter of the name of the famous Sannin on the stone. His chest was as heavy as the day he'd carved them. That day, he'd defeated his enemy and faced the beast inside him. He had done it carrying the hope of his teacher. Naruto pulled out of his pouch the book he saw in his memories, The Gutsy Ninja, the message left to the world to never give up on finding an answer to peace. He looked at the cover and then at the picture on the last page. Jiraiya. The face was younger, but he was definitely the same man who taught him so many things, and more importantly, who believed in him.

Sakura approached, crouching at his side, and Naruto gave her a small smile. "Thank you for bringing me here."

"It was important to you." Sakura replied.

"He was like family to me." He stated.

"I know." She said, letting him rest his forehead on her shoulder.

"You're my family too." Naruto tenderly confessed.

She nodded as he intertwined his fingers with hers to bring them to his lips.

They left shortly after, a last bow towards the grave, to go back in the village. Naruto walked holding Sakura's hand, gently brushing the back of her hand with his thumb. It'd been a few days since the couple became an official couple in all sense of the word. They were in what one could call the 'honeymoon phase' of their relationship. They could never get enough of each other and were now inseparable.

The weather was really pleasant and the walk through the forest was a nice stroll. They took their time on the way, enjoying the calmness provided by the trees and the pleasing sound of the birds. If the situation had been a little different, it would have been the perfect day for a picnic. They would have been able to relax together near a lovely river nearby, but unfortunately it wasn't the purpose of their outing.

Sakura observed their surroundings as they passed through some bushes. The area was calm and secluded with the green leaves rising in pierced walls, the tall trees covering the sky like a ceiling, and the trail so discreet that she was sure it was rarely used by anything more than animals. However, she was highly attentive to any sound and any movement around them. Her gut feeling was making her restless and nearly unconsciously she prepared herself for an eventual battle.

Grabbing her kunai from her pouch, her senses on alert, Sakura leaned closer to Naruto. "Just stay behind me." She ordered in a whisper.

Naruto was ready to open his mouth when a rain of senbon flew at them. Sakura pulled him to the side behind the protection of a tree trunk. She assessed the position of her assailant and precisely threw a wave of shuriken. The attack stopped and the foliage moved in many directions. More people were coming from all sides.

Perched on the branches surrounding them was a whole group of rogues. The attack had been planned, and those men had probably been watching them since they left Konoha, taking the opportunity of their trip out of the village for their assassination attempt. It was without a doubt a golden opportunity. It would have been difficult for them to infiltrate the village in such a large scale and near impossible to take down a Sannin level bodyguard with a limited number.

"There you are! It's a pleasure to meet you in person, Naruto Uzumaki." A man with a scar on the left side of his face said , settling on the top branch as the last to arrive.

"You wanted to meet me?" Naruto questioned, pointing to his chest. These guys didn't inspire anything good in him, and he would do what he had to do to not drag his girlfriend into something directed towards him.

"Yeah. Someone doesn't much like what you're doing, the peace and stuff. They're really bad for business. Sorry, it's nothing personal against you, but I need your head."

"Stay back." Sakura whispered, her eyes hastily counting the number of opponents. She wasn't one to get easily impressed and was already forming a strategy to take down the threat as efficiently as possible.

"Oh my! And if it isn't Sakura Haruno, the famous medic? Your beauty surpasses your legend. In some ways I'm not surprised to find you here too. One doesn't go without the other…" The man's glance passed from her to Naruto "Unfortunately this time we know that your partner is…" He faked searching for his words. "Incapacitated." He added with an ironic tone. "So you against us all, it's a lost battle. My contract is for his head only, and if you just be quiet, I won't hurt your pretty face."

"One," Sakura lifted one finger in front of her, "Two," she announced, lifting a second. "Three." Another followed.

"What are you doing, beauty? Trying to count us? We are too much for you to handle… that's all there is to it!" The man arrogantly said.

"No, I'm counting to ten to let you leave. If you're still here after that, you will wish you were never born." She calmly declared, "Four," and she added another finger.

The man burst out in laugher. "We're all chuunin to jounin level here. Did you really mistake us for simple bandits?"

"Sakura-chan, please go. It's between me and them." Naruto pleaded, stepping forward.

His girlfriend's hand grabbed his collar and pulled him backward, nearly strangling him. "I said: stay back!" She ordered, and then returned to her counting, lifting another finger "Five."

"Don't waste your time, beauty. You can even count to a hundred. The battle is unavoidable." The man smirked. "Guys, just bring me his head, you can play as you want with the woman." He instructed with clear sense of superiority.

Twenty men launched from all sides for a physical confrontation. Sakura calculated that if they so carelessly chose to attack her for close combat, they must have definitely misjudged her. She planned to not immediately use her trumps cards and her monstrous strength to make them lower their guards and just prepared to get rid of the first group with a simple genjutsu.

She had mastered the technique over the years, polishing her skills with Kurenai. Her incredible chakra control and her clever mind allowed her to be a terrible opponent with such a jutsu. Only a sharingan user with Sasuke's level could escape her genjutsu. Her illusions were so proficient that her victims would not realize they had been caught to try any form of Kai release.

Even with the direct demand of his girlfriend, Naruto couldn't stop himself from reacting to the first wave of attack. In a blink, his energy changed, his senses heightened. He instinctively knew what he had to do to take down his adversaries. His body tensed, his blood coursing rapidly in his veins. His gaze became sharper and he could feel the chakra gathering in his hand in multiple circular patterns to form his Rasengan as he rushed forward.

For a brief instant, Sakura caught Naruto's movement in her peripheral vision and was under the impression she'd gone back in time to when they were fighting in perfect teamwork during missions. Her boyfriend was everything he used to be, his stare focused on the enemies and his posture exulting this form of animal power. She nearly started daydreaming about her man and his erotic way of moving, but her sense of reason made her quickly come back on track. She cursed under her breath as Naruto's disobedience ruined her strategy. She should have predicted that he wouldn't stay quietly behind her. Instantly she changed her plan and propelled herself upwards to meet her opponents in a mid-air battle.

Naruto gaped at the sight of his girlfriend. Sakura was fearsome and he made a note to himself to never really anger her. His blue eyes followed her as she moved swiftly, jumping on all sides, taking down each of their enemies one after another. It was simply incredible how this woman could be so graceful while doing such atrocious acts. Blood was gushing from the open wounds she was inflicting on the mercenaries as she transformed them into a mess of guts and limbs. For a second, Naruto shivered at her savagery, nearly praying for the poor souls who tried to face her.

Not only did she demonstrate an outrageous strength, but extreme violence, as well. She was shredding to pieces every one of her adversaries, cutting their limbs with surgical precision, her hand a chakra scalpel to render her adversaries completely inoperative and incapable to defend themselves. It was a real slaughter and even with a ratio of one to one hundred fifty, Naruto doubted that those rogues held the slightest chance of survival against his fierce girlfriend.

Reinforcements came and died as if they were just flies. Ribs and bones were broken as her fists and her kicks collided with the men. Some coughed blood before falling unconscious, others struggled a bit more before shedding their last breath. Her precision was as astonishing as usual and the effectiveness of her hits were making her a real human killing machine.

Naruto couldn't take his eyes off her. There was something so mesmerizing about her, in the subtle coalescence of elegance and strength whirling around her as her steps depicted everything of delicate cherry blossom petals falling to the ground, and at the same time, her whole aura exulted such a fiery spirit. Of all the girls he had met until now, none of them had left such an impression on him. Sakura was the only one who could fascinate him as such.

The attack continued incessantly, more and more entering to battle. Sakura turned around to face her next adversary to see him get smashed by Naruto's Rasengan.

"Let me deal with it! I'm your bodyguard!" Sakura yelled at her undisciplined boyfriend.

"Not a chance! I'm not gonna stand back and watch you fight them alone." Naruto came to stand behind her, back to back. "You said it yourself. I'm your teammate. I'm your friend and I'm your lover. You won't keep me outside of your business!"

"Trust me! I can take care of it myself." She claimed.

"I don't doubt you the slightest bit, but I'm still gonna fight by your side whether you want it or not."

Naruto was a stubborn fellow and unless she knocked his lights out, nothing was going to stop him. She angrily huffed at his insubordination, but didn't let herself get distracted more. She would keep an eye on him for now and scold him at home later. She adjusted her stance, adapting her fighting to her teammate. Both of them covered one side to not give to the mercenaries any openings.

Naruto used his shadow clones as decoys to sneakily attack from the most unexpected angles. His mastery of the Rasengan was as good as his previous self, and he fought with as much dexterity as he would have done a few months ago. His taijutsu combos were fluid and flawless. His kicks were powerful and his attacks fatal. Sakura observed him from the corner of her eyes to be certain that he was in no immediate danger. She had to admit to herself that this ambush was a good opportunity to practice and evaluate his improvement.

Even if she had been against him joining her at first, Sakura could really appreciate her boyfriend's skills. In the few weeks since the incident, Naruto had managed to fall back to his perfect fighting form and was now able to control the combat like a real conductor. His clones were overwhelming the rogues and Naruto used them with great cleverness to turn the battle to his advantage. Sakura was quite impressed by his progress and could guess that even she would have some difficulties facing him at his actual level. The only thing that seemed to be strangely left aside was his connection with Kurama and she wondered, why?

Pivoting around to inflict a deadly kick to the head of her opponent, the pinkette got a glimpse of the leader trying to escape. She threw a glance at her boyfriend over her shoulder and smiled, seeing him totally dominating the situation. She didn't like the idea of leaving him alone but if she wanted to discover who was behind the assassination, she needed to capture the mercenary leader alive.

"I'll come back in a moment, if you get even one scratch on you, I will never forgive you!" She yelled over the brawl.

"No worries, Sakura-chan! I can take care of myself! 'ttebayo!" Naruto replied, punching the man in from of him square in the face and sending him crashing against a trunk.

After getting rid of the group surrounding her in the most effective way, meaning smashing their skulls with ruthless brutality, Sakura jumped at full speed through the bushes in the direction the leader took. She couldn't spot him or any trace of him, which alerted her. Ready to face a trap, the Konoha kunoichi slowed down just before a huge rock ideal for hiding and disintegrated the stone into a rain of boulders with her chakra enhanced punch.

The man gaped, astounded by the event. It was one thing to see a woman break bones but to simply annihilate a massive rock as if it were nothing more than paper was another thing. With the ultimate despair of a death sentence, he decided that he simply had to go for broke and take the attacking option. Joining his hands to form seals, he molded his chakra for his jutsu, praying that it would buy him enough time to retreat. The next second the ground transformed in a sort of mud, spreading around in tentacles to latch around the kunoichi.

First her legs were immobilized and the man smirked as the tentacles got a grip on her waist, arms, and neck. She was at his total mercy now and he felt so stupid to have tried to run away when she fell for such an easy trick. Jounin, Sannin, there was no big difference. It was mostly a title given to the warriors who helped during the last war. She was violent and scary. For sure, she deserved her bingo book nickname of 'bloody cherry' as he would never have imagined her able to wipe out his men like she did. But she was not invincible.

Tightening his fist to command the mud to strangle her, the rogue was surprised to see no distress and no pain in the jade gaze of the woman. He tightened again but to no avail, and this was when he noticed that an aura of chakra covered her body like a shield. Wide-eyed, he saw her smirk at him as she broke her bindings as if they were nothing.

Her hands rapidly formed another jutsu, taking control of the soil in his stead, and covered him completely up to the neck. In a blink she was at his side, one glowing hand on his head, and everything around him darkened. His chakra network was deactivated and he couldn't feel his body anymore. Captured in a mud prison, unconscious, the man wouldn't be able to escape anymore. After controlling his vital signs to be sure he was out cold long enough, Sakura ran back to the battle to finish it off.

Landing on a high branch to have a clear view of the situation, the pinkette apprised the incredible talents her boyfriend possessed. Not wanting to leave him all the fun, she jumped right in the middle where he was. Using his shoulders as support she nimbly swirled around, swinging her legs in deadly kicks. At each impact, skulls, jaws, heads, necks, bones and flesh broke beyond repair. As the last people standing took a step back, she landed gracefully at her boyfriend's side.

"I was in control! 'ttebayo!" Naruto complained.

"I know, but we're a team." She replied with a smile.

"I think you don't have much team spirit today. You took on far more than half by yourself." He pouted.

"My! My! Naruto! I'm still your bodyguard… But if you want to do some teamwork, use your clones to grab those guys for me, would you?"

The blue eyes glanced at the retreating backs of the last rogues trying to get away. "I can do it. But you'll repay me with a kiss at home, is that ok?" Naruto negotiated.

She laughed as they both knew he didn't need to ask to have a kiss. "I will give you more than a kiss." His girlfriend promised.

A carnivorous smirk graced his features as Naruto made his jutsu signature. The blonde's clones all ran after the last survivors, tackling them to the ground and keeping them still as requested by his girlfriend. The pinkette walked to each one of them and rendered them unconscious with her medical jutsu.

After retrieving the rogue leader, the couple made their way back to Konoha, the clones carrying their burden. Kakashi took the chief into custody to be interrogated by an investigation team while the rest of the mercenaries were sent to jail until further decision could be made.

 **THE STORY IS NOT FINISHED YET! NEXT COME CHAP 30 – PART 2**

 _ **Unfortunately I won't be able to publish for a while. So next chapter should arrive the 1th June.**_

 **FOR MY SILENT READERS… DON'T THINK I DIDN'T NOTICE YOUR ABSENCE! THANKS TO ALL MY REVIEWERS!**

 **JUST A BIT MORE LEFT… STAY WITH ME UNTIL THE END PLEASE!**


	32. Chapter 32

**_THANKS TO GINA TSUKIKO FOR BETA READING THE CHAPTER_**

 _The 7_ _th_ _DEMON OF RAZGRIZ:I am glad that you are still here and enjoying the story. I was afraid that you had left. It is soon the end, please hang on a bit longer. Thank you for being here._

 _Beastedon: My only plan is to stop writing even if I have many stories in my head. I am glad you liked what was done until now; Thank you for your support._

 _WindyCitySlayer1: Sorry for the long wait. I hope you enjoy the chapter. Thanks_

 _Daintydame:Thank you for being here. Sorry for the long wait. I hope you enjoy the chapter._

 _Merchant Of Blue Death:Thank you for your comment. I always appreciate them a lot. I agree with you, Sakura have a very fit body and she is very proctective of the people she cared. Hinata would never have reacted like her. About kurama, you will know more about him in the next chapter.I didn't forget him. Sai and Sasuke could be friend as they are both emotionally deficient, but as they compete for Naruto friendship they pick on each other._

 _Guest:thank you, I am glad you liked. I hope you will continue to like it._

 _Tiny tanaka:The narusaku teamwork is not a filler (actually the title of the chapter is about Sakura bloody fight). Sai and sasuke situation is to give us more clue about the original mystery and announce that something wrong will be coming soon. I could not develop everyone side story as I shortened my works. Everyone in Konoha is just going to their usual mission and the kids are the orphan that escaped the fort. They were just spread in the country side of the fire you for being here_

 _Ultrachols: thank you_

 _Katus293: I am glad you liked the fight. Thank you for your support_

 _ThatPageantGirl: Yes his smirk hold in it a lot of promises… enjoy your reading. Thank you for being here_

 _Aewina-chwan: Prepare toi au vrai lemon… j'espere que tu aimera. Merci d'etre avec moi_

 _Marshmallow:Thank you and BIG Hugs!_

 _Joey91731:I will miss all of you, but it is time for you to bloom. If you need help to write your story, you can ask me._

 _Eight heroes: Thank you for your support! Yes Sakura is a bloody cherry_

 _Donthedarkdragon:I hope you didn't wait for too long. Thank you for being here. I hope you will like the next chapter_

 _YeagerMeister31:She is scary indeed. I think they underestimate her in the manga and what someone with such a strength and medical knowledge could do. Thank you for being here_

 _BlindSaya: Sorry for the wait. The end is the next chapter, so enjoy this one to the fullest. Thank you for being here_

 _HeliosBlazes: she will have some action, don't worry about it ;) Thank you for your support._

 _Lonewolf: Don't worry they will be together again. You will be able to taste their love again. Thank you for being here_

 _HITMAN0569: I hope you enjoyed your reading and will continue to enjoy it. Thank you for your support._

 _Guest: I am glad you liked it and I would have love to know more about your reaction at the chapters. I've put a lot of effort in trying to improve my writing skills and found wonderful beta reader along the way to help me provide you a readable work. Thank you for your support_

 _Madman: Thank you to have share with me your thoughts. I hope you will continue to like it. Thank you_

 _RSFan:Sasuke have met Kurama already (chapter 10 if I remember correctly) and he knows he can control the beast with his sharingan. What happened with kurama will be developped next chapter. I could not develop it more as I tried to shorten the story as much as possible. Thak you for your support._

 _Hellocan: Thank you I hope you will like it until the end._

 _Charmedbycharmed:One day and half with a toddler is like a little miracle to me. It was sad for the miscarriage but chapter 26 when they confronted wasn't beautiful with those raw emotions? Thank you_

 _Sagar hussain:Thank you_

 _Jose 9299:It is a great comliment that I manage to make you like a story when you are not fond of the pairing. Thank you I hope you will like it until the end._

 ** _SORRY FOR THE DELAY_ **

**_WARNING LEMON! FORBIDDEN TO READER UNDERAGE_ **

**_CHAP 30 - PART 2: Bloody Cherry_**

Naruto latched his arms around his girlfriend's waist as she was currently trying to dry her hair in their room. It had become 'their room' as Sakura never went back to the guest room since they became a couple. With a soft blow of air, he pushed some pink curls out of the way to access her neck and sensually kissed the skin of her nape.

"You said you'd give me more than a kiss… can I have it now?" Naruto sultrily whispered, his lips kissing the sensitive skin of her neck. Sakura giggled at the tickling sensation, her body involuntarily squirming. "I want you!" He confessed, licking her earlobe and tightening his embrace with this non-spoken form of possessiveness which never ceased to arouse her. "Really, really want you, Sakura-chan!" He breathed, full of desire, while guiding her toward the bed.

The pinkette didn't fight back, dropping her towel on the ground as his strong arms directed her. She didn't have the slightest will to refuse him. The opposite in fact, she was quite eager to be with him again. With the trip outside of Konoha and the delay caused by the bandits, they hadn't been able to make love since that morning.

Letting herself playfully fall on her back on the mattress, Sakura invited him to join her by opening her arms wide. Her boyfriend didn't need more coercing to come after her. He crawled on the bed, his head low to kiss his way up from her feet to her thighs. She couldn't take her eyes off him, heat invading her veins as he approached her ever so slowly, taking his time to savor her skin. Sakura admired the muscles rolling under his skin on his bare back at each of his movements. Naruto was sexy, incredibly sexy, even if he didn't know it himself. Her boyfriend had this animalistic aura around him. Everything about him made him irresistible. The way he moved. The way he touched her. The way he kissed her as if he were a devotee worshipping a goddess. She felt beautiful under his gaze. She felt loved under his care.

Arriving at the edge of her loose sleeping shorts, his intense blue stare lifted toward her with burning desire. Sakura shivered in anticipation, her whole body reacting just at his gaze. He had this kind of power over her. He could just look at her and do whatever he wished to her. She was at his complete mercy. Since the first time they made love to all that followed that night, she was more and more addicted to him, falling deeper and deeper in love with him. Each and every time, in their long nights of passion or when they satisfied their outrageous cravings in the middle of the day, he never failed to be attentive to her needs and to outdo himself for her pleasure. She couldn't hide it. She couldn't lie about it. She was completely taken by him. There was not a single part of her that wasn't aroused just at the sight of him.

Keeping one hand for support, Naruto used the other one to glide over her hip, creasing the material of her shorts as it trailed up. He caressed her side, following the defined curve of her waist and climbed up her chest to draw the contour of her breast with his fingers without daring to grope the alluring mound. His cerulean eyes didn't leave hers, scrutinizing each of her reactions, attentive and caring. He moved forward, caging her with his legs on each side, his torso hovering above her, and their noses nearly touching. There was something dominating in that position and terribly erotic.

His breath felt warm on her skin, reminding her of his parted, tempting lips so close to hers. Sakura lifted up her hand, passing it through his still wet blond hair and pushed him towards her. He resisted, a playful smirk on the face.

"Do you want to kiss me, Sakura-chan?" He asked teasingly.

"Baka!" She humorously muttered in answer, forcing him down to make his lips accessible.

It began as a brush, Naruto's lips sliding sensually against hers. Soft and tender. There was no rush, time was suspended, an accomplice in the secret of their love. He enjoyed those moments when they took the time to appreciate each and every sensation, when he could engrave in his memories every inch of her. He had forgotten most of his life, but he had made it his ultimate mission to remember all of her and if not, to rediscover all the mysteries enveloping the woman he loved more than life itself.

His eyes could never have enough of her; when she slept, when she laughed, when she read, when she blushed, and his favorite was when she opened up to him, completely vulnerable and honest as they made love. He was fascinated by those moments when she was just Sakura: delicate, sensitive, and so terribly sensual, when she finally dropped her armor to just be with him, allowing him to see her as nobody else could see her.

His hand caressed her skin, passing underneath her shirt, memorizing the silkiness, appreciating her curves and the suppleness of her body. There was something magical in her, something bewitching in her simplicity. Every part of her was just this amazing balance of just the right amount of everything: never too much nor too little. She fit perfectly right in his palm as if she had been made just for him, as if she were the other part of him.

His lips searched his partner in a sensual dance, letting the electricity born from their contact run down his spine. She responded, teasing with her tongue, caressing his bottom lip, nearly entering his mouth and withdrawing to invite him to follow her. At his turn, he passed his now wet lip in a smooth caress of hers before softly nibbling the plump, rosy petal of her mouth. He could kiss her for an eternity without feeling tired of it. There would never be enough, not in this life or in the next. She had sealed in her lips a heavenly elixir able to drive him high and make him a voluntary slave, his heart at her feet and his soul in her hand.

Their tongues intertwined, gently massaging each other while her fingers travelled through his hair with languor and desire. It was a curious combination of softness and building passion. The room had already risen a few degrees more, or was it just their bodies burning from an invisible fire? Their mouths searched each other, more and more ravenous, feeding a growing hunger. Insatiable. Sakura invaded his mouth in a battle of dominance and he let her wet muscle twist around his, control the rhythm and do whatever she wished with him.

Sakura gasped for air, her head falling back on the pillow as she abandoned his mouth. Her chest heaved, heavily breathing and her heart pounded resoundingly in its cage, awaking to untamed emotions. Her hazed gaze looked at the face of the man she once lost. His cerulean eyes were watching her with so much love and tenderness that she thought she would melt into a puddle of goo. A tremor ran straight to her heart and blood as hot as lava scorched her veins. Love burst in all her cells, exploded in her nerves while diving in the ocean of his eyes. He was all she needed. Naruto was more than what she could ever ask of the gods of earth and heaven. There was no other place for her than by his side.

Her arms abruptly latched around his neck, lifting her chest to meet with him. She securely hid her urge to cry from happiness by pressing her cheek against his. She tightened her embrace, never wanting to let him go, as he lowered his body to let her rest against the mattress. Together, molded against each other, sharing the heaving of their chests and the warmth of their skin, they fused their souls in the single wish to be one.

If it were with her, he would accept anything. There was no greater feeling than the one of being with her. She was the delicate flower which never withered, the everlasting beauty with the smile of an angel and eyes green as blooming new leaves. Sakura was all that and much more. In her gentle embrace, he would rest, peaceful. His heart against hers, he would let their sound find the same rhythm, answer in the same beat to form a melody that only their ears could hear. With her in his arms, he would feel warmth fill his being, warmth like no other feeling ever could.

"I love you, Sakura." Naruto murmured, touching her ear with a deep voice.

The sound of his voice was much softer and more singular than she ever imagined. It made her heart throb crazily in an elated symphony. She tightly closed her eyes to not let the tears of joy which threatened to spill escape and madly kissed his ear, his whiskers, and all over his face before passionately plunging to his mouth.

Naruto smiled into the kiss as his adorable girlfriend showed him without words that his feelings were reciprocated. Spring blossomed in his heart, pure and magical. A rain of pink petals danced in his mind like the one he saw as the kid. The promise of happiness the old man said to him; it was her. All along, she was the one, able to transform his horrible winter into an eternal spring. She was the one, able to fill his loneliness with her mere presence. She was the beginning. She was the end. She was his whole universe. He would draw seals on her skin so that a part of him would be attached to her body. He would bind his heart to hers to be lulled by her melodious beating. He would drink her breath to share the same air. He would live just to see her smile, and would die just to let her live.

His mouth abandoned her lips, and his cerulean eyes looked at her with all the love bubbling inside him. Sakura watched him, spellbound. Her heart at the door of her lips. There were so many things she wanted to tell him. So many words she never expressed to him. She felt ashamed for all those years of harsh treatment, for all her blindness in their childhood, yet at the same time she felt so blessed to be loved by him. Naruto was this incredible pillar in her life, her lifeline, her landmark. He was the star she was following, the compass and the wind. Without him her life would lose all sense and all direction. Her love was beyond words, as they couldn't carry enough meaning to convey what she really felt toward him.

Naruto found her absolutely beautiful with her pink locks scattered over the pillow like a crown of blooming cherry blossoms. He adoringly gazed into the precious jewels of her eyes, learning by heart all the astonishing nuances of jade drawing a hidden forest in her irises. His knuckle tenderly caressed her cheek with a feathery touch as if he were afraid that the dream would dissolve if he dared to lay a hand on this divine apparition.

"Would you marry me?" Naruto asked with hope.

Her eyes opened wide at the impromptu question, her generally fast neurons stopping all function as if stricken by lightning. Naruto hesitated, seeing her absence of answer. He had blurted his proposal on the spurt of the moment, not really thinking about anything else other than his wish to live the rest of his life with her. It was maybe too soon.

"We can wait if you want… if it's too early for you or if you want me to be back to who I was before…"

She cut him off, coming out of her shock. "Yes!" She nearly shouted. "Yes, I want to marry you!" She affirmed without the slightest bit of uncertainty, before lunging for his lips.

Her hands caressed his shoulders, tracing the contour of his defined muscles while her mouth devoured him with unbridled passion. He smiled into the kiss, answering with the same eagerness. After gasping for air, Naruto left her lips to brush her skin in imaginary patterns just to sow ghostly kisses, leaving a trail of fire behind them. Sliding down, Naruto devotedly continued on her neck, sucking on the erratic pulse under her sensitive skin. He travelled to her delicate collarbone, savoring the smoothness, licking and nibbling the delicate flesh.

His fingers pushed aside the strap of her top over the edge of her right shoulder. The fabric floated free, partly revealing the birth of the roundness of God's most beautiful masterpiece. His heated gaze stared at the fine curve drawn in exquisite volume and at the cloth modestly hiding the delicious bead. Just the memory of her pearly white breasts enhanced with her ever so tantalizing pink nipples managed to harden his penis.

Naruto restrained his sexual cravings to savor the moment with her and chastely kissed the uncovered part of her breast. But Sakura wasn't of the same disposition, her blood boiled, her desires impetuously roared and her inner-self pushed her to discard all inhibitions. She pushed her body up, searching for more contact, for any form of friction. Naruto stifled a moan as she pressed more firmly against his aroused manhood. It felt so good, so intense, that it threatened to make him lose all sanity.

Supporting himself on his knees and his elbows again, Naruto separated from her to not give in to the temptation of savagely making love to her. But again his choice backfired at him as she took his withdrawal as an opportunity to undress herself. His lover, usually shy about being naked, grabbed the edge of her top and passed it over her head, leaving her breasts bare for his sole privilege.

Pales pink areolas with defined nipples were facing him, alluring in their proud stiffness. It seemed to him that they were purposely pointing to call for his mouth. He licked his lips, his gaze intense like a famished predator. He was weak. He was terribly weak in front of Sakura. But he would not be called Naruto Uzumaki if he didn't make his soon-to-be-wife scream his name in passion.

His eyes swiftly glanced up. She was waiting for him to do something, her arms still above her head and her top discarded near the pillow. She had an insanely cute blush on her cheeks, her eyes half-lidded with heavy desire and her lips swollen with their previous kisses. Call it magnetism or overwhelming infatuation, but he couldn't curb his need to plunge to her lips. Their bodies molded together, skin against skin this time, and the sensation of her supple body bare against his increased his arousal. He could feel the fabric of his pajama pants stretch with his hardness reaching its full size.

Even with his scorching desire, Naruto took his time. He took his time kissing her. He took his time touching her. He took his time to show her how important she was to him. His hand lovingly came up to cup the soft mound of flesh and gently kneaded the teasingly erected bead between his fingers. He drank in her moans as one would drink precious nectar. He savored them. He let the taste of her saliva melt with his. He let her sounds resound within the deepest part of his being. He searched for her pleasure, movements charged with love.

Her back arched, her body squirmed, and her hands grabbed the waistband of his pants. Her body was prey to her burning needs, heat pooling in her crotch. She wanted to feel the stiff member she could recognize without a doubt against her thigh inside her. She wanted to be connected with him, feel him until they became one. Sakura pushed down the elastic band, passing the material over his round and muscular ass.

Naruto straightened up on his knees, his Adonis-like body on display with his pants down past his hips. His penis was freed from his confinement, erected proudly, the head purplish and leaking some translucent liquid. For a brief second, he glanced at the undeniable proof of his excitement before grabbing her hand. Firmly but tenderly, he brought her inner wrist to his lips and let fall a light rain of kisses on her forearm, stopping longer at the hollow of her elbow, before continuing his hike up to her shoulder. He moved to access her collarbone and meandered over her breasts, covering her skin with care. He wanted to savor every inch of her.

Sakura panted breathlessly, her head becoming more and more of a lustful mess. She bit her lips to prevent other incongruous sounds from escaping her throat as his voracious mouth latched onto her nipple, his hands already ravenously caressing her skin. It was too much, she encased his hair in a demanding grip, wanting more, giving herself without restraint or shame. Her flesh burned with an all-mighty desire under his hands. She called his name, pleading. She called his name, her voice breaking in a moan. Lust clouded her mind, unaware of the reality of the world. There was just him. Him and his warmth. Him and his mischievous breath running over her nakedness. She was melting, dissolving, her body too hot; prey to a fire wild and violent.

"Naruto…"

He answered her call by sneaking a hand inside her underwear, his fingers searching through the curls for her sensitive jewel. In slow and circular movements, he began to stimulate the zone. Sakura stirred, her thighs trembling slightly. A moan tore out of her mouth at the more defined pressure on her clit. A shudder coursed down her back at another twirl of his index. He found his pace and what she wanted today.

"Na – Aaaaaahhh!"

Naruto interrupted her, sucking harder on her perky nipple. He loved her voice and the effect he had on her. With a shift of his wrist, he inserted his fingers into her wet slit and continued his previous ministration with his thumb. His eyes fixated on her expression, pumping gently. Her face was flushed red and her lips were slightly parted to let a jagged breath escape in a puff of air. He felt her sway her hips in need, forcing his digits deeper inside her, and her hand grasped his locks of blond hair tighter. He smiled at being able to bring her closer to the edge, to feel her so sensitive to his touch. Her half lidded gaze locked with his, heavy with lust. He enjoyed watching her pupils grow larger with the dark depths of her rising excitement.

He thought he was in control. He thought that he was the one giving. But it was without counting on her sheer will to be part of the festivity. Extending her hand and bending slightly, Sakura managed to get a hold of his penis in her hand. The surprise was like an electric shock to his system. He gasped, his forehead nuzzling against her breasts. His brain was fried in that second, all of his blood leaving south. Her hand stroked his length a few times, coming over the head to lubricate her palm with the generous precum oozing from the tip before sliding down sensually. It took incredible effort for him to gather his thoughts and not just be driven by the influence of his cock.

Slowly he raised his head up to meet with her glassy green eyes. The kiss that followed was sloppy and urgent. It held in it a burning desire, and she answered with the same keenness. Their mouths devoured each other furiously. It was ardent and avid. They shared their moans as they pleasured one other.

At a particularly intense stroke, Naruto grunted before releasing her mouth. "I swear, I'm gonna love you so much, Sakura-chan, that you'll never want to leave me." He promised, taking her hand off of his penis, and then he lowered himself to lick and kiss her skin from collar to belly.

His hands tugged at her shorts, pulling her panties down with them, to leave his wife-to-be as naked as the day she was born. Sakura played along, helping to remove the last of her garments. Heaving her legs up, he tenderly kissed her ankles before lowering her feet on each side of him. For a moment, he admired her beauty and a smile stretched on his face at the idea that she was his and his alone. His large hands caressed the smooth skin of her creamy thighs as he lowered his head to her feminine sanctuary.

The smell; her smell intoxicated him. His gaze flickered from her enthralling sacred chalice to her face to not miss anything of the spectacle of her pleasure. Naruto's tongue darted out, agile and flexible. He licked the glistening entrance, tasting her excitement. He repeated the movement, circling around her clitoris, up and down, up and down, and then dived in, penetrating her with his tongue.

Her back arched, her fist hitting the mattress as he languorously explored all the secrets of her womanhood. Her body wriggled, sweat covering her skin in a fine layer. She was feeling feverish, her flesh smoldering with building sensations. Her heart erratically hammered in her ribcage. Her body was too small to contain all the bursting emotions.

Sakura was lost, lost in the limbo of pleasure as this strange and indescribable warmth erupted from within her. In the haze of her sight she saw his bewitching blue eyes and clung to them as to not lose focus with reality. She was under the impression that if she were to lose sight of him, she would never be able to come back.

Licking the contour of his lips, Naruto savored the proof of her satisfaction while straightening to completely remove his pants. The article of clothing flew somewhere in the room, far from his concern. There were limits to what a man could endure, and now his excitement had reached a peak. Leaning forward, he opened the drawer of his nightstand to search for a condom. Sakura grabbed his wrist and he looked at her curiously, wondering why she had stopped him.

"Naruto," Her face was flustered and her green eyes flickered, insecure. Her heart was beating so loudly in her chest that she was sure he could hear it. "D-do you want to try to have another baby…?" She asked timidly, biting her lips after voicing her wish.

Her lover blinked, gaped, and blinked again at understanding her question. Naruto didn't hesitate. He was a man of action and no doubt obscured his decisions. He abandoned the small square item in the drawer and lowered himself to hover above his wife-to-be. He hadn't suggested it himself, feeling blameworthy for their previous failure even if she had tried to assuage his guiltiness, telling him that he wasn't at fault for her miscarriage. He had waited for her to recover from their loss. He had waited for her to be ready to try again. So nothing could make him happier than to hear her want it.

"There is nothing more that I would wish for than to be with you and have a family." Naruto assured, his eyes shining with love. He smiled, looking at her with a myriad of emotions dancing in his blue orbs. His finger softly pushed away some pink curls, uncovering the diamond adorning her forehead, and his lips brushed her precious jewel with an incredible gentleness to seal his vow.

Sakura's hand caressed his neck, sliding to his shoulder as their eyes met again. At that instant, there was only him, the whole universe dissolving in an undefined blur in comparison to the purity of his eyes. Her other hand rode on his waist from his side to his spine and gave a firm tug to attract him towards her. Without resistance, Naruto molded his body to her. She could feel his strong and steady pulse, comforting. Her fingers traced imaginary lines on his broad back, enjoying the smoothness of his skin as she kissed his neck sensually.

She felt his erection twitch against her belly and she licked his earlobe before whispering a sultry, "I want you."

Her hand sneaked between their bodies and guided the tip to grind against her entrance. Naruto moaned at being so close to her wet cavern. It would be so easy to thrust in complete oblivion, to answer his scorching desire. It would be so easy, but he chose to penetrate her unhurriedly to appreciate each millimeter of her. It felt warm, soft and so wonderfully tight. Her back arched as he invaded her more deeply, pressing her breasts against his firm chest. Everything stirred his excitation, from her breath to her voice, from her hands everywhere on him to her quivering thighs, everything, all of her.

Their hands slipped on their sweating skin. Their bodies were too hot, scorching sensations bubbling in their cores. Their hips moved, slammed, bumped. Their hands groped while their mouths devoured. Moans erupted at some particular frictions. Grunts followed at the delicious tightness. They seared under their untamed desires, their pelvises finding a matching rhythm, trying to merge through their love making.

Naruto grabbed her leg, bringing it to his shoulder. He kissed her ankle as he buried his swollen cock deeper into her warm cavern. She mewled his name and his eyes locked with hers. He loved her. He wanted to prove to her how much he loved her, put his heart on display to show her the depth of his feelings. He plunged into her again and she dug her nails in the skin of his back as if to anchor herself to him. It hurt, vaguely. The pain was completely secondary compared to the expression of pure bliss he witnessed on her face. She gasped at his next roll of hips and he hastily drank from her mouth her cry of pleasure with a passionate kiss.

The tension was building as water boiled. At each back and forth, in and out, he felt his blood scorching in his veins. The pumping of his heart was completely erratic, at that point as messy as the jumbled sensations in his body. He was trying with all his might to draw out the ecstatic sensations brought on by their intertwined bodies. But it was so hard. So delectably hard to resist. He could feel his cock encased in the velvet of her chalice. The smoothness of her inner walls was without equal. The more he dove inside of her, the more he wanted to stay forever connected to her, creating within him an unsolvable dilemma as to savor this intoxicating pleasure or to succumb to orgasmic rapture.

Naruto grunted, pleasure overwhelming, as his hips slowly undulated like the waves in a building sea. He was going deeper. Deeper. And deeper. It was as if their bodies were trying to merge into each other. It was as if all of what they were was trying to be one, sharing the same feelings, sharing the same love, sharing the same soul.

Their minds were lost in another universe where their emotions were sparkling like some shiny constellation. They forgot about the world to just feel, to just be. Moving as one body, they fused through some mysterious alchemy. It was never only a physical contact, nor a friction, but, in that very moment, it was something more. It brought them high, blew their minds, and made them float. There was no drug as powerful as love. It was indescribable. No word was strong enough. Their bodies were set ablaze by some form of mystical magic.

Sakura pushed her hips further, taking him deeper inside her. Their rhythm changed, steadily building until it became a complete jumble of passion. Puffs of air. Moans. Words of love and incoherent pleas. Their bodies burned more and more. He felt her squeeze him inside as he slammed his pelvis against her; as her hands firmly held his hips to keep him encased longer. Her green gaze locked on him was the most erotic sight ever and even if he wished to keep going for a bit more, the overpowering sensation got the best of his resistance. He came hard, watching her adorable face take an incredible expression of ecstasy, with this particular haze of pleasure in her eyes and the absolutely sweet blush covering her cheeks.

His large frame arched as he ejaculated, his cock bloating with thick semen erupting in strong gush. At that exact moment, he felt like merging with her. There was no strict delimitation between their two souls. There was only love, blinding and pure. It exploded in their hearts, spread in their veins and reached the deepest part of their being. Time suspended itself in his inexpressible form of bliss. The world dissolved to be nothing more than a blurry whiteness. It struck like lightning and stretched mystically. They were one and the whole universe altogether. A breath, and time returned to its normal course. The orgasm passed and his strength abandoned him, leaving him feeling boneless, suddenly.

Disentangling himself, Naruto let his body fall at her side, one hand on her waist and a smile shining on his face like a ray of sunlight. "Have I told you that I want a big family?" Naruto announced, out of breath with a humorous tone, when actually being quite honest.

 **SHARE WITH ME YOUR THOUGHTS!**


	33. Chapter 33

**_THANKS TO GINA TSUKIKO FOR BETA READING THE CHAPTER_**

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 _HelioBlaze: sex is always more intense when emotion are connected to it. It is the basic difference between love and sex. And I can see the same scene at the end of it with her blushing furiously. Thank you for being here. I really appreciate your support and your comment. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!_

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 ** _Chap 31: Together we stand, divided we fall_**

Sakura never regretted a day more than she did today, having yielded to the naughty request of her lover. Her face was now flushed red, mortified with embarrassment as none other than Sasuke Uchiha pulled what could hardly be called her underwear from under the sofa. She regretted giving into Naruto's fantasy so much and for wearing the black thong from 'Sexy & Dreams'. It was true that her fiancé particularly liked certain pieces from Ino's kinky bag and he never skimped on showing her how much effect those special _things_ had on him. But whatever the reward, she should have refused. In fact, she should have burned the whole bag of wicked lingerie.

Sasuke's dark brows arched in curiosity, observing the small piece of fabric. It was indeed difficult with the lack of material to classify the object or to discern its purpose. How could a hardened shinobi like Sasuke, with a monk's style of life, imagine that some strings and a ridiculous triangle could be called underwear? She prayed for him to be clueless enough in the matters of women's intimate apparel to not recognize the _thing_ he had found. Maybe, with some hope, he would consider it as a new form of slingshot?

Unfortunately, between walking in on Naruto and her with his unexpected early return, finding the two suspiciously sweating and flustered and sitting on the opposite couches with Naruto hiding his erection under a pillow, and the _thing_ , the man had enough observational skills to guess that the couple's disheveled appearance was related to the object in his hand.

The onyx irises darted toward her and her smile froze under his scrutiny, which only made her more suspect. A bead of sweat slowly dripped down her temple. She didn't know how Sasuke managed to keep his face perfectly blank as he identified the intimate apparel as hers. But the dark haired ninja didn't flinch, nor did he express any emotion as he set the erotic garment on the small lounge table.

For a second Sasuke said nothing, just looking at them, his arms crossed over his chest like a parent ready to scold his kids. Naruto tried to feign complete innocence, his smile firmly plastered with insolent confidence. It seemed that recovering his memories of his early age pranks had made him able to deny all accusations directed toward him with the ease of an elite politician caught red handed. For her part, Sakura mentally cursed her fiancé for throwing her underwear out of reach in his enthusiasm.

The last Uchiha pinched the bridge of his nose, loudly sighing with exasperation. He had tolerated many things while living with Naruto. First, he sacrificed his peace as the blond had been babbling or fighting with him from morning to night as he moved in. Then, he had stomached the constant visits of half of Konoha coming to their house, and Sakura's constant presence. But now… Now was the worst. He had just come back from his mission two days ago and already the situation was this aggravating.

"Listen, Naruto! I didn't complain when you fucked your girlfriend like an animal half the night against the wall connected to _my_ room, forgetting that the soundproof jutsu doesn't prevent the banging on the wall from reverberating. At least you did it in your room." Naruto slightly shrunk from Sasuke's statement while the dark haired man rubbed his forehead in annoyance. "But let's be clear once and for all. For the respect and the good of each of us, no sex should be allowed in the common area! I don't want to walk in on you doing your thing and have the kitchen, the table or any other place spoiled by your naked butt! Understood?"

At the mention of the 'kitchen', Naruto couldn't stop his gaze from flickering in that direction, clearly remembering how he had bent his fiancée over the kitchen counter while she was trying to prepare breakfast the day before Sasuke's return. The mishap didn't take long, but was enough to be noticed by the sharp-eyed Uchiha. Sasuke frowned at the implication, his glare boring holes into his best friend.

"Go and clean the place from floor to ceiling!" Sasuke ordered to the culpable blond. "You're really a pair of lewd monkeys." He grumbled irritably, walking away so he wouldn't find out more about their sexual performances.

As Sasuke went upstairs, Sakura quickly put on her missing underwear, the blush on her face not receding a bit. She didn't want her rapport with her teammate to suffer more because of her relationship with Naruto.

"Is it okay with you if I let you do the clean up?" She asked her fiancé.

"You can leave it to me, Sakura-chan."

Gathering her courage, the pinkette went to knock at her teammate's door. The male voice invited her to enter and two onyx eyes fixed on her impassively as she stepped in his room.

"Something the matter?" Sasuke asked without preamble.

"Haha – No, it's nothing really important…" Sakura hesitantly said, tucking a loose curl behind her ear. It had always been difficult to hold a normal conversation with Sasuke, and after the exchange in the lounge it seemed even more difficult.

Seeing her searching for words, Sasuke decided to help her finish the conversation as fast as possible to begin his peaceful reading time. "What are you here for?"

"I was…" She looked to the side, avoiding his steady gaze. She didn't know how to deal with it. She was so used to his indifference that she couldn't feel comfortable while receiving his attention. "I mean – I may be wrong, but I was wondering if it bothers you that Naruto and I are together?"

Sasuke didn't say a thing. He kept looking at her with the same expressionless face. It was so hard to read, so hard to understand him. She shifted her weight to her other leg, feeling out of place next to him once again. A word, a glance, any sign would have made the situation so much easier. She admitted that she had liked him as a kid for his mature and cool attitude and for his ability to keep a perfect poker face in all circumstances. But now, he was down right difficult to deal with.

"It would be great if things could be like they were before…" She tried.

"They can't." Sasuke stated point blank, not aggressive or emotional, his eyes returning to his book.

"But…"

He stopped her, raising his hand to signal her he wasn't finished talking. "You're a couple and you don't have to worry about me. Just leave me alone, I know how to take care of myself."

"I just wanted to say that even though Naruto and I are engaged that doesn't mean you're not our friend anymore."

"Tsk! Are you stupid? Did you come here just to tell me that?" Sasuke glared at her. "I know we're family. As long as you respect the common rules of this house, there is no problem. So now leave!"

A small smile graced the pinkette's face as she turned around to leave. In some way, she was relieved that Sasuke implied that she was part of his family, too, and she didn't need to push the conversation further.

"Oh, and Sakura…" She stopped, hearing her name. Glancing over her shoulder, she saw that he was back at his reading, but the corner of his mouth lifted in jibe. "Tch, now I understand how you seduced him… but don't leave your _stuff_ lying around. "

It was official: she wanted to dig a hole the size of an abyss to hide her mortification.

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

Naruto sat cross legged in the quietness of the training ground four. Today's training was for him to connect with the nine tailed beast. Sakura had discussed the topic with him shortly after the rogue ninja ambush, asking many questions about what he remembered and what he knew of the Kyuubi. His answers had been simple: the monster had been the cause behind his bullying as a kid and was living within him. In short, Naruto knew absolutely nothing about the beast and hadn't met him since accidentally ending up in front of the demon's jail after recovering his first memories.

That was why the blond was now trying to consciously go into the unconscious part of his mental realm. He breathed in and out calmly and concentrated, letting himself dive further into the depths of his mind. He tried to search around to access his inner world. But there was no real procedure or manual on how to meet with a legendary demon sealed within oneself. In the darkness of his mental plane he wandered, circled around, looked up and looked down. He scratched his head and just tightly closed his eyes wishing to go in front of the jail.

Being the master of his own mind, when he opened his eyes again he found himself facing the colossal, red jail bars. It was as simple as that. So simple that he had never thought to do it before to meet with the giant fox again. The mythical animal was there at the back of his cell, cuddled in on himself. His gigantic head was resting on his paws, listlessly. The red eyes opened briefly to glance in the direction of his visitor and closed again, back to his nap, uninterested.

It wasn't the warmest welcome possible, but Naruto couldn't really blame the fox after their last encounter. The jinchuuriki walked closer with no apprehension, deciding to correct all his wrong doings from his previous behavior. A tall, pointy ear twitched at hearing the approaching footsteps, but Naruto didn't flinch. He had no reason to be afraid even if the beast was freaking huge. The Kyuubi was supposedly his friend, as Sakura had told him. She had called him Kurama and told him that the fox had saved his life on numerous occasions.

The slight ' _ploc'_ of water in the background was the only sound that disturbed the general silence of the vast cave. Naruto glanced around, realizing the loneliness of being confined in such a place. The atmosphere was damp and cold, and the light quasi absent. It was certainly not the most comfortable and pleasant place to live. Passing the massive open door of the cell, the blond wondered why the fox didn't try to escape. Why did he stay when there was visibly nothing to hold him there?

Stopping a couple of feet away, the jinchuuriki extended his hand and stroked the fluffy fur of the beast's neck. In response, one enormous red eye opened, lazily gauging the small human's action. Naruto smiled affectionately, patting the fur, not drawing back, and the giant fox decided to move. The colossal figure straightened up into a sitting position, making the human look ridiculously small in comparison. His gigantic head tilted to the side and then lowered, his muzzle nearly touching the belly of the blond man. His massive jaw was intimidating just by the size of his fangs, but Naruto didn't budge.

"Hi!" Naruto tentatively saluted his supposed friend with a short wave of the hand.

The legendary demon returned his greeting with a strong puff of air from his nostrils, sending Naruto flying a few meters away. The body bounced a couple of times on the flat surface of the water before stopping with his head down and his butt up. It was not a friendly greeting, but the blond wasn't one to give up on the first try. He stood, rolling his shoulders in large circles to be sure that all his bones were in the right place. His blue gaze turned intense as he cracked his neck on each side in a facsimile of a warm up for a fight.

"Is this how you receive me when I come to visit you, Kurama?" The blond shouted.

The name managed to draw the mythical demon's attention, and his long ears shifted to full alert. His big red eyes squinted, carefully watching his former friend. Naruto was holding himself up with the same assurance he used to have.

"You remember me, kit?" The grave toned voice resounded in the cave, distrustful. The connection between them wasn't restored, Kurama could tell by the lack of information coming from the exterior of his cell.

"Not really…" Naruto admitted, scratching the back of his head in embarrassment.

Warily the beast eyed him. "What do you want from me?"

"Hehe, you see, Sakura-chan told me we used to work together…"

"Go away." The fox demanded, aloof. He had no reason to share his power.

"Hey! No way! I came here to see you and you shut me off so easily! Aren't we friends?" Naruto angrily yelled.

The beast stared at the man defiantly standing in front of him. Naruto was Naruto. The boy had some incredible guts to face a demon without balking.

' _You want my power without knowing the depth of my hatred. You fool! I will show you that you're not ready for it.'_

Kurama released an absurd amount of raw power, the surge of energy so intense that the air around them began to vibrate. Naruto's body knew how to handle the demonic chakra and instinctively adapted to it, but his mind didn't have the same stability as his previous self. The enormous flow of hatred rushed through him and began to poison his being. It devoured the blond, running from his limbs to his torso. The wicked chakra crawled up Naruto's neck, encasing the back of his head until it nearly submerged him.

The beast contemplated, impassive, as Naruto disappeared, unable to control such a heavy charge. The blond didn't know yet of his struggles, of his fights, of his accomplishments and of all the people behind him who had helped him carry this inconceivable burden. Naruto wasn't ready. No matter how much his appearance was the same. No matter if the man had the same cocky demeanour. It wasn't what made Naruto strong.

With a flick, Kurama stopped the flow and the blond fell to his knees. "Come back when you are ready to face me." The legendary demon told him, coiling himself to resume his nap. ' _I knew you weren't ready for it. How can you be when you can't control your own hatred? I felt your turmoil and your anger for the Uchiha the other day. I felt it as your emotions instinctively pulled on my chakra. You can't face me as long as doubt and hurt can make you waver.'_

Naruto panted, catching his breath. His blue gaze watched the massive animal sleeping indolently, completely uninterested in him. The beast could have killed him without effort. _So much power_. It would have been as easy as breaking a straw. The blond observed the calm breathing of the fox, the slow rise and fall of his form. _So much hatred_. Naruto smiled affectionately. The demon could have killed him but he didn't. Sakura was right, Kurama was his friend.

Naruto walked to the giant fox and friendlily patted his fur one last time. "I will come back, Kurama. I will come back and take care of all this hatred of yours." Naruto declared before vanishing.

The infamous tailed beast snickered. ' _Same old, same old! I'll be waiting for you, Kit.'_

Naruto opened his eyes to be back on training ground four. Sasuke was on guard, facing him with his sharingan activated, and Sakura was at his side, her glowing hand ready to intervene. The blond blinked at their cautious attitude.

"What's wrong guys?" Naruto asked.

"We thought you would be transforming. Sasuke was ready to take control of Kurama if you hadn't managed to subdue it, and I was afraid you would be damaged by his chakra." Sakura explained. "So I guess you managed to connect if you're back to yourself without a hitch."

"Hahaha," Naruto laughed, a little embarrassed. "In fact, I didn't connect and Kurama shut me out. He just showed me that I needed to be stronger to face him, but he didn't try to harm me. But next time! Next time for sure, I will do it!" He affirmed with certainty.

"We should call it a day for today's training. There is no point in insisting." Sakura proposed and the group left for Ichiraku Ramen for a well deserved lunch.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The streets of the village were bustling with animation. Like usual, merchants and customers were happily chatting, mothers and their children were strolling around the various stands, and passerby were loitering and enjoying the pleasant weather. Naruto randomly looked around, searching for the disturbing feeling creeping on his skin. There was nothing defined, just a vague sense of déjà-vu. He couldn't identify what, but he didn't like it. He stayed on his guard; there was something noxious in the air today, even with the general joyful atmosphere of the marketplace.

Two kids ran past, visibly panicked. They jostled the people in their way and one of them bumped into Sasuke. It could have been a trivial occurrence, but the Uchiha found that the boy's face was familiar. The kid was about to continue his mad dash but Sasuke's firm hand grabbed his collar.

"Run!" The boy ordered to the little girl who had stopped to wait for her brother.

The boy turned around to pull on his shirt to free himself and the sharingan user was able to get a better view of the kid's face. It was indeed the boy from the fort whom he had encountered in a previous village. It was them, the boy and his sister. They were cleaner and apparently more fed than the last time he saw them, but he was sure that they were the same kids. They were dressed in the standard clothes of Konoha's orphanage, proof that the small message he gave them had allowed them to be accepted in the institution. He wondered what they were fleeing from.

The girl saw Naruto and rushed toward him, latching her small arms around his leg. "Help us, Mister! Help us! The ghost came for us!" She cried.

Naruto didn't understand anything of the situation, but Sasuke immediately caught on. "Where's your friend?" The dark haired shinobi demanded.

"The ghost possessed him… Let me go! We have to run away. He'll come after us too!" The boy yelled, pulling on his shirt harder.

The last Uchiha activated his sharingan to look into the boy's memories and finally found the clue he had missed that linked the fort, the kids, and the strange phenomenon he had witnessed in the destroyed villages.

He saw the third kid fall to his knees on the ground, a mark on his neck appearing in angry red as if the skin had been burnt with a heated iron. It formed a sort of seal, made out of foreign letters and forming a circle with a complex geometrical figure at the center. In front, hidden in the shadow of a wall, stood a person of short stature, probably another kid. He wasn't a brat from the orphanage as his clothes looked like tattered rags. He certainly wasn't from the village as all the children were at least basically taken care of. The vision ended with their friend turning around with his orbs completely black, like the other kid he had met in the destroyed village. Sasuke hadn't been able to see the last boy's face, but there was something malevolent about him.

"Where did you meet the ghost?" Sasuke urgently asked.

"Near the old wall behind the big water tank."

The sharingan user released the boy and addressed his teammates. "I'm going to check on the situation there."

Jumping at full speed, Sasuke was surprised to see Naruto following him with Sakura at his heels.

"Stay out of it, Usuratonkashi!"

"You can't go there alone!" Naruto asserted.

"Sakura, tell him!" Sasuke ordered.

"I'll go with him! Find Kakashi and inform him about the fort's potential threat to the village!" Sakura suggested to her boyfriend.

Naruto frowned at being left out. "I'm part of this team, 'ttebayo!" He made his infamous hand sign and his clone dashed in the direction of the Hokage tower. "He goes and I stay!"

Naruto was a lost case in terms of tenacity. If he didn't decide it himself, it was impossible to make him change his mind.

The group landed on the rooftop near the indicated area. The zone was still mostly in ruins, not yet rebuilt since the last war. It was a pretty secluded place were some kids used to make their hide-out and play. The vicinity was supposedly safe as guards where constantly patrolling on the new village walls. Sasuke looked around, his gaze intense in search of the two kids he had seen, while Naruto found himself unconsciously walking toward the source of the noxious atmosphere he had felt before.

Sakura caught him before Naruto entered an abandoned building. "We should stay together." She told her boyfriend, taking a hold of his hand.

Sasuke jumped up to the water tank for a better view of the area only to be attacked by one of the village's guard. It was one thing to fight against civilians driven mad by hallucinations; it was another to face a strong ninja from their own village. Sasuke dodged a water style jutsu, followed by a rain of shuriken. He was somewhat surprised by the sheer power of the attack. The man should have been nothing more than a Chuunin level, but the strength of his assault was one of Jounin or above. It was as if the hallucinations were unlocking power in the individual affected by it.

The man in front of the skilled Uchiha wasn't holding back in the least. The exchange was violent: kicks, punches, remarkable slashes of blades. Sasuke evaded the sharp edge, bending his body in an awkward angle. If not for his sharingan the fight would have turned for the worst for Sasuke more than once. The man was fast, incredibly so. Each of his jutsus were higher than whatever he could have expected from a simple guard. It was nearly a battle between Sannin level ninja.

' _Orochimaru would have loved to experiment on such a phenomenon.'_

From his fight with the ninja, Sasuke better understood how a whole civilisation had been destroyed by the talisman. The thing invoked in the fort had been able to completely annihilate village after village; turning people against their own kind, increasing their ability, rendering each individual a ruthless killing machine, unable to stop, unable to discern friend from foe. It was no surprise that it had been coveted. Something as dreadful as that, set free in an enemy territory, would assure a complete victory to anyone who could control it.

The Uchiha heir wasn't one to be cornered easily, but he still appreciated the intervention of his teammate when she immobilized the man through her freakishly efficient paralytic jutsu. The man fell to the ground, limp as a puppet without strings. The kunoichi kneeled at his side and passed her hands over the man's head, scanning his brain activity. Sasuke had just enough time to glance away for a second to search for the two kids when the other guards attacked by surprise.

The blonde's clones took them on, stopping their assault before they could reach Sasuke and Sakura. The men were completely immune to their punches, standing up after each hit as if they hadn't receive a blow at all. They were like zombies and kept coming endlessly. Naruto's clones were puffing out of life and the blond kept replacing them, trying to form a barrier around his teammates.

"Sakura-chan, can you put them to sleep too?" Naruto asked over his shoulder, not wanting to really harm people from his village by continuing to hit them.

"Give me a minute more… I might have an idea of what's going on in their brains." The pinkette told them, her attention still focused on the man she was currently studying. It was an opportunity she couldn't pass up. For all the information she had gathered from analyses on Naruto and Sai, she hadn't been able to conclude a physical model as many parameters were still left unknown. With this live case expressing the hallucination Sasuke talked about, she could maybe complete her research and find a way to stop it without the use of a rinnegan.

Time was the element they lacked the most; if the strange phenomenon spread to the rest of the village, it would become really problematic. Even with Sakura's ability to immobilize anyone, it would be impossible to treat a large group of people. They needed to act fast as more guards were coming after them.

Realizing that for now he didn't feel any symptoms related to the hallucinations, Sasuke deduced that the source wasn't close enough to affect them yet or hadn't unleashed its full potential. If it were the first case, it would be encouraging as it meant that the thing could only take over people in a limited perimeter. However, the number of assailants kept growing, making the fight more and more difficult. Sasuke wondered what was happening. In the previous village, the people were indiscriminately killing just for killing, whereas here they seemed to be attracted toward them. Was it possible that someone was controlling the people from a distance to keep them from finding the real mastermind?

The guards were continuously advancing. Naruto and Sasuke were battling hard to deflect their attacks and buy more time for the pink haired medic to do whatever she thought was important enough to not join them. It was their duty as a team to protect each other and have faith in what the other was doing. With his last set of memories, Naruto had recovered more of his ninja abilities making him a one man army with a full range of defensive jutsu and potential lethal attacks. His presence proved to be a serious advantage when fighting a large number of enemies. His clones were able to surround their targets and synchronize to stop their progress while the original put up a barrier around him and his girlfriend to keep her safe.

With all the disturbances they were creating, it wouldn't be long before reinforcements would join them. The rapid response in case of invasion was one of Konoha's best features in their defensive system. But in their actual case, it could easily become one of their worst traits. In this secluded area, the people affected were limited, but if more skilled shinobi joined it would become completely unmanageable. The phenomenon was able to transform a Chuunin into a near Sannin level. What would happen if an army of Jounin level ninja came in and turned into mindless killers? It would be the end of the village.

Assessing the state of his near brother, Sasuke decided to trust in Naruto's capacity to keep Sakura safe and bypassed the fray in search of the root of the problem. The escape hadn't been such an easy win. The last Uchiha swirled, defending himself with precise blocks. He thwarted the jutsus sent against him, dissolving a vicious water jutsu with his scorching hot black flame or disabling his adversary's jutsu with a strategic chidori. With his incredible talent, Sasuke shook off his pursuers to hunt for the source of the psychotic effect in the maze of ruins.

His proficient eyesight allowed him to catch a glimpse of a furtive moving form. Unsheathing his katana, Sasuke ran forward with soundless footsteps to surprise his opponent. He was quick and agile, but as he turned the side of a shambled building, his whole body wobbled. His hand hastily took support from the wall as he tried to focus his vision. He knew it. He had already faced similar warning signs. Taking a deep breath, the sharingan user raised his gaze and saw the culprit behind his hallucinations. The boy was standing, unfazed, only fifty meters away. The face was expressionless and the eyes were deep black pits.

Sasuke knew the kid was merely a pawn, that the cause of the chaos was someone else. But it didn't change the fact that he was beyond salvable and must be eliminated before more people in Konoha got involved. He forced himself to stay sane and ignore the tormented vision invading his mind. He knew he couldn't let himself be swallowed by the delusion. Sasuke gathered his concentration in the increasing jumble of his thoughts and performed a jolt in time-space with his rinnegan to break out of the delirious effect.

As he came back to his senses, the boy had vanished and a dreadful feeling crept on his skin. Panicked, the last Uchiha ran towards his teammates only to see his ominous premonition unfold in front of his eyes. The boy was standing still behind the crowd flocking around his two teammates. Sasuke yelled at them to run away, but he just saw Sakura's green eyes open wide as she lifted her head from her task only to have her gut pierced by the hand of her own lover. Sasuke launched forward, his blade embedding into the small body. He cut it in two with ferocity. The corpse flopped on the ground in a soft thud at the same time that Naruto's kunai left his girlfriend's body. Everything came to a halt in an unexpected ceasefire.

The scream that followed couldn't be qualified as human.

His throat hurt under the sheer power of his scream. Naruto couldn't breathe anymore. His ears whistled with a deafening sound. Someone was screaming and it was only then that he realized it was him. Blood was forming a pool around the inanimate body of the love of his life. He had killed her himself. He couldn't figure out what had happened so suddenly. How or why. His body had just moved out of his control, forcing him to turn around and thrust a kunai in her belly before coming back to consciousness to see the stricken expression on her face as she fell. _Pain. Pain worse than hell. Pain to the point of madness._

Everything happened so fast that Sasuke couldn't believe his own eyes. However, he was conscious that the battle wasn't finished yet. There was more. The Uchiha heir knew it. It was as if by taking down his puppet, the real mastermind would be forced to show up. It didn't fail. A discreet shadow emerged from a shattered building.

The form was partly hidden, but Sasuke had already spotted him. The face was emaciated, even bonier than the last time he saw it. The boy didn't look like he was alive, except for the fact that he was standing. He saw the boy open his mouth wide and the slashed body at his feet transformed into a pile of ashes in a second. It was as if anything alive in the corpse had been sucked in by the open mouth.

A shudder ran down his spine. What was that thing? It wasn't human even if he moved around in a human skin.

The kid's dark orbs seemed to notice him, but rapidly switched to the blonde's head behind him. Sasuke rushed towards his best friend; he understood that Naruto was his next victim. All of the kids from the fort had been marked as sacrifices and somehow, by being invaded by the strange matter, Naruto was connected to it too. The dark haired shinobi hoped to reach him in time to teleport them far enough from the threat. But it was too late. The blonde's face, still contorted in a grieving grimace, turned towards him as he approached. A rasengan was forming in his hand, ready for an attack, and Sasuke dodged it thanks to his sharingan.

"Pull yourself together, Naruto!" Sasuke harangued his best friend, hoping to be heard by his consciousness behind the mist of the hallucination. It didn't work as, for Naruto, it wasn't a simple hallucination. The invisible matter in his brain had completely overtaken his cognitive functions.

Sasuke was surrounded, the mob at his back was coming back with renewed rage and the blond in front of him was fighting with fierceness. At this rate, he was doomed. He knew he should escape while he still could as it would be clear suicide to fight Naruto with his strength enhanced by the phenomenon. But Sasuke couldn't bring himself to abandon his best friend. So he stayed, blocking blow after blow, kicking away the annoying guards who weren't making his task any easier. He knew he was the last rampart before the village was engulfed in the same killing madness.

' _The thing is smart. It always stays hidden, moving around in a human skin and able to act from a distance. And Sakura said that for Naruto as well, the matter is like a parasite. But if I kill the monster's host, would Naruto be free from its hold?'_ Sasuke thought, trying to analyze the situation while dodging Naruto's deadly assault. Nothing was for certain, however, it was a chance that he was willing to take to save his best friend.

For the briefest second, Sasuke's gaze looked back to search for the position of his only real enemy, the boy. It was a fatal mistake when facing such a strong opponent like Naruto. His body toppled over under the sheer power the blond put into his attack. Sasuke was pinned to the ground, Naruto on top of him, blocking the blade of Naruto's kunai an inch away from his throat. The Uchiha winced, fighting to not get overpowered. In terms of brute force, the jinchuuriki was already a force to be reckoned with, but with the effect of the strange matter, it was simply ridiculously insane.

Sweat rolled down his forehead. His hand trembled, trying to resist with all his might. From the corner of his eyes, the sharingan user saw the guards preparing an attack. What irony! Getting himself killed by his soul-brother and the people he swore to protect. His eyes flickered, suddenly attracted by an incongruous sight. It was so absurd that he wondered if his brain wasn't playing some trick on him. But no, it was real.

"SHANAROO!"

A building was uprooted with part of the asphalt still attached at the bottom and flew with a monstrous force as if it were nothing more than a paper airplane, wiping out the whole group of guards standing ready to launch their jutsu in one go. The earth trembled at the impact and the next thing Sasuke saw, Sakura was jumping on Naruto's back, her legs firmly latched around her boyfriend's mid-section and her glowing green hands on his head.

"I got you!" The pinkette shouted with smugness, releasing her hold. She had finally managed to extract the matter in her boyfriend's brain as it congregated to control his host.

The blonde's body fell, inanimate, on Sasuke. The sharingan user looked up at her, catching his breath after the intense fight. She dusted her hands in self-satisfaction, a conceited smile stretched her lips. Her face was still covered with the strange tattoo of her one thousand healing techniques and the only trace of her previous wound was the gaping hole in her red top. Her green gaze lowered toward her unreadable teammate and she pouted at the lack of expression on his face.

"Mou! Sasuke! You could at least praise me! I just saved you and Naruto in one fell swoop!" Sakura said, hand on her hips.

"Hn. Do you want a pat on the head?" Sasuke sarcastically retorted, standing up and carrying the unconscious blond with him.

She frowned, unsatisfied with his answer, but she didn't let herself be affected by his usual grumpy replies. "Well, I should get to work on those guys if we want to have some peace." She pointed to the men coming out of the rubble of the building. The pinkette jumped at lightning speed to the recovering guards and immobilized them one by one with her paralytic jutsu.

Sasuke briefly glanced at Naruto and sat his best friend against a wall support. "Do you feel dizzy or is your vision distorted?" He asked her, debating with himself if it were safe to leave Naruto alone in case Sakura was affected by the phenomenon herself.

"Don't worry Sasuke! I modified my brain's wavelength with a medical jutsu to counter the hallucination effects." Sakura informed him.

A small smile drew the corner of the Uchiha heir's mouth up. Sakura was full of resourcefulness and his brother was in good hands with her. He could go hunt his real prey without bothering to look back.

"I leave Naruto to you!"

She waved at him dismissively without sparing him a glance as she was busy finishing the last men, and Sasuke jumped on the water tank to get a better view of the area.

XXXXXXX

First he heard the small dripping of water. _Ploc… Ploc… Ploc…_

Where exactly was he?

Naruto felt nauseous, his head all jumbled, his thoughts in chaos. He knew he was lying flat on his back. At least he knew that.

 _Ploc_ …

His brain felt mushy. Why was it so difficult to think straight?

 _Ploc…Ploc…_

The dripping water would drive anyone crazy! He had to do something about this leak, he thought. Making some effort, he tried to stir, but it seemed so difficult to control his body.

Something poked his side. He wasn't alone.

Naruto stopped moving and even breathing. What if it were an enemy? Would he be able to fight in his state? How the hell did he end up unconscious in the first place?

"Kit! Don't play dead… I know that you're alive." A low toned voice resounded in something empty like a cave.

' _Wait! I know this voice… Kurama ! It was Kurama's voice!'_

The blonde man forced an eye open to confirm his assumption. The fox demon was sitting by his side, his head tilted to look down on the small human.

"Hey Kurama!" Naruto greeted, straining to lift himself in a sitting position. He felt like shit, as if his body weren't really his. He cracked his neck from side to side and rubbed his forehead, trying to remember what happened. But he was too confused. Events were muddled together as if they had passed in a roller coaster. "What I am doing here?" He asked his long time friend.

The beast shrugged. "I was going to ask you the same question. You just popped up here. But I guess you managed to unlock something in your empty head. The connection seems to be back..."

"What are you talking about? What connection? Hey! And my head isn't empty!" Naruto defended himself with pride. Then it dawned on the jinchuuriki and he understood, remembering: the fort, the black miasma, the amnesia, the mess-up and everything else. It was clear now. He looked around the cell. Some more light was coming from the boundless ceiling. That was why he had found the place so dark the last time he had come here. The connection between them had been severed at that time.

The blonde tested his fingers and toes, flexed his arms above his head. His sensations were coming back to him. Naruto stood to face the giant fox. He was still unsteady but it was progressing well. His blue gaze looked at his friend, a smile on his face and his hands on his hips.

"I don't know what happened, but I think I'm back to being myself!" The blond optimistically announced. "Let's go kick some ass! I have to settle the score with that thing!" He extended his hand toward his friend for a fist bump.

The giant fox chuckled, returning the gesture. At the contact, Kurama was sure of it. His friend was back.

XXXXXXXXX

Returning to consciousness, Naruto blinked at the brightness of daylight. He looked at himself, propped against a wall, and then at his surroundings. This was when he saw her. Sakura. His Sakura. She was kneeling in the middle of a destroyed building, fumbling through rubble to look for something.

"Sakura-chan!" Naruto chanted, leaping to her and encasing her in a bone crushing hug. He was so happy to see her safe and sound. Maybe his vision of him killing her had just been a delusion.

Her boyfriend covered her cheek in kisses as an over-excited puppy reuniting with his master, and she pushed his head away to continue with her task. "Not now Naruto! I'm busy!"

The blond pouted at being rejected, but he accepted as she really did seem busy pulling someone out of the debris. He looked at her as she performed something with her healing hands on the man's head, and then he noticed the hole in her top at the place where he had stabbed her. _So it wasn't a figment of my imagination_.

"Sakura-chan," He called her and she glanced in his direction. "I'm so happy that you're alive."

She smirked proudly. "As if you could kill me so easily, Baka Naruto!" She said amused, and then pointed to her diamond on her forehead. "You're not the only one with super regenerative abilities!"

"I'm still sorry to have hurt you." He confessed, chastely kissing her forehead, grateful to the diamond that had saved her life.

"It's okay… It wasn't you and I've made sure that this thing can't control you anymore." Sakura affirmed with a small blush at his tender attention.

XXXXXXXXX

From his high perch, the sharingan user scanned the vicinity. He estimated that the demon's host had to be in a radius of two hundred meters to contaminate his victims in the first place. His eyes switched quickly from right to left, they caught onto the scrawny shape of the kid. He couldn't sense anything coming from him. There was no spark of life, no form of chakra whatsoever emitted from the body. From observing him more attentively, Sasuke was sure that the boy was, in fact, already dead and that his corpse was merely being used as a vessel.

He waited. Sasuke had known for a long time that a ninja had to wait until the time was right. It had been one of the first lessons his big brother taught him as a kid when they were training together. It was when the enemy drops his guard that a ninja had to strike, he remembered. Assessing the situation, the last Uchiha momentarily looked in the direction of his teammates. Naruto had awoken and Sakura was pulling the inanimate guards out of the wreckage. He sent a shuriken towards them with a message attached to it to keep them informed of his intentions and prepared himself to launch his surprise attack.

The sharingan user hopped on a lower rooftop, approaching his prey with extreme carefulness. He held his breath to not betray his position, walking on the wall with soundless footsteps. Sasuke wasn't far and from his target, he could discern every twitch of the boy to predict his next movement. He stopped, vigilant. He should have been undetectable but strangely, the boy turned his face towards him, the endless pool of his complete dark orbs fixing him straight to the soul. A shudder ran down the Uchiha's spine. It was as if the thing inhabiting the boy could see through him.

The boy opened his mouth wide, but no sound came out of it. Suddenly the whole atmosphere changed. It was like an invisible pollution. Sasuke flinched and he resettled his brain with another time-space jutsu to counter the effect. It was stronger than any other before and even with a clear mind it felt suffocating. Assuring his grip on his katana, Sasuke didn't hesitate. He had to destroy the source of the poisonous smog before it spread to the rest of the village. Without waiting any longer, he slashed the vessel in half.

Silence.

Deafening silence.

The corpse lay at his feet, the blood trickling in regular red drops from the gash. It was too calm. It had been too easy. The thing didn't try to avoid his blade or to fight him. Sasuke didn't like it and readied himself to face even the most unforeseen event. All his senses were alert, his mangekyo sharingan ready to unleash his Susano-o. His eyes searched for any sign of attack, pondering his possibilities. _The thing was intelligent...and invisible. It could come from anywhere and possess anyone._ How could he fight something that he couldn't see? The answer came in the form of his best friend. Naruto dove forward, tackling him to the ground with a "Watch out!" as his only explanation.

Pulling his face out of the dust, the Uchiha looked at the smiling face of the blond. "You can thank me later! I have something to settle with the ugly cloud looming over us!" Naruto stated.

Sasuke looked up, but couldn't see anything. He had to blindly trust Naruto and his ability to perceive the invisible matter. His best friend jumped to his feet and promptly switched to his nine tail beast mode. A smirk graced the Uchiha's features at seeing Naruto shine with the fox's chakra. They hadn't needed to talk for him to know that his near brother was fully back to himself. It showed in his demeanour and overly confident self. Following up, Sasuke stood too and activated his Susano-o to cover the giant fox.

"Let's do it together!" Sasuke affirmed, remembering the time in the forest and the fort where his blade had been able to cut through the matter.

Naruto was the arm and Sasuke the weapon. The blond swung Susano-o's sword and the cloud kept forming and dissolving at will to evade the strikes. The thing was wary of them, avoiding a direct tried to escape and the blond looked around, searching for something able to keep that stuff in place. He spotted his girlfriend watching from afar, ready to intervene if needed.

"Sakura-chan! Close the perimeter!" Naruto yelled at the top of his lungs to be heard by the pink-haired kunoichi, and then Sakura dashed around, reshaping the ground and lifting up high walls to block all escape.

It was captive, unable to move away or to possess another sacrifice to replenish its power. It needed a host to survive. It needed to absorb fear, despair, and pain in order to grow; it needed to suck the life out of those it infected. It looked at the pair attacking it, and at the third who had created the wall. The easiest way to take down its enemies was to separate them and make them hate each other. The cloud attempted to get away from the top of the wall to possess Sakura, but suddenly its particles crystallized, rooted in place like a statue. Not wanting to miss the opportunity, Naruto ripped the demon to pieces, cutting it through and through.

Then Kakashi flew over on a Sacred Beast bird drawn by Sai and extended the talisman above the left-over of the demon to seal it inside with an incantation.

"Kakashi-sensei! What are you doing here?" Naruto called, surprised to see his former teacher. He was sure that his clone had passed the message to evacuate the village.

"I'm the Hokage, my duty is to protect this village and I thought you might need this…" Kakashi casually said, showing them the talisman. For a while now he'd had a hunch on how to destroy the threat if they found it, although he wasn't sure. But it had been worth a try. "I made up a quick team to perform the sealing ceremony as it was explained between the old texts we gathered and the information found in Sasuke's reports." He pointed to a group of ninja on the top of the Hokage Mountain. "I couldn't intervene earlier as I couldn't see where the demon was. But thanks to the wall enclosing it, we were able to direct the effect of our crystals to immobilize it for the sealing." He winked to his blond pupil. "Destroying it was really a plus as it helped reduce its power."

 _Epilogue_

 _Almost two years later..._

Ino squealed at seeing Sasuke feeding a bottle of milk to the child in his arms. It was a sight to behold as the Uchiha looked absolutely handsome with this fatherly and caring attitude.

The dark haired shinobi frowned at the unexpected, strident scream and hushed her with a "Shhhh" to avoid disturbing the ten month baby and having him return to his insufferable crying.

"What are you doing here with Shina?" The platinum blond asked, coming closer to the pair. She smiled and cooed at the blond child. The baby looked at her with his deep green eyes but didn't stop sucking on his bottle. He wriggled around, a smile stretching his lips as he held the teat between his pair of recently sprouted teeth.

"Don't bother him! He just calmed down! He hasn't stopped crying since Sakura's water broke." Sasuke sternly told her.

"Oh!? So _that's_ why you're babysitting Shina as Sakura is gives birth."

"Don't make it sound as if I never take care of this child. He's more often with me than with his parents." Sasuke complained.

"It's because you're Uncle Sasuke! Hn, Shina? You like when Uncle Sasuke is taking care of you?" Ino playfully asked the child, waving her finger in front of his little nose.

Footsteps echoed down the corridor and the curious Ino lifted her gaze to see who was coming. She frowned at seeing her husband, his hands stuffed in his pockets and his natural bored expression on his face.

"If you came to attend the echo of your son, you're too late!" Ino chastised him, caressing her eight month belly.

The Hokage strategist sighed at his wife's accusing glare. He should have predicted that Ino would have heard about Sakura giving birth and come to wait at the labor room instead of going back home after her examination. Yeah, he missed the echography appointment, but did he really have a choice when someone had to take care of the Hokage office? Naruto had vanished as soon as he heard that his wife had been transported to the hospital, ditching all the Hokage duties to him.

"Yeah, my bad! Complain to your Hokage who works me to the bone!" Shikamaru replied to his lovely wife and then turned to the Uchiha, knowing that the guy must have been there all along as he tended to Naruto's son. "Is Sakura finished? I need our Hokage for a meeting."

"Can't you go in his stead? There seems to be a long way to go before the baby comes and Naruto has to be here with Sakura." Sasuke answered, indifferent to the political problem.

"Unfortunately, the meeting is scheduled with the Daimyo and the man won't accept anyone but the Hokage."

The Uchiha frowned, understanding that there was no other way around it. He looked down at Shinashiku and passed him into Ino's arms. "Hold him for me a minute – and don't make him cry!"

Sasuke marched into the labor room. As he opened the door, the screams from inside reached the corridor. Shikamaru hoped that Sakura wasn't breaking Naruto's hand. Last time the Hokage hadn't been able to sign his paperwork with his right hand for a full week after the birth of his first child.

"I hate you Naru – Aarrrggghh!" The pinkette screamed as another contraction wracked her womb.

"Breathe! Breathe! Sakura-chan!" Naruto encouraged his wife, wincing in pain as she squeezed his hand with demonic strength.

"What the hell are you doing here? Get out!" Tsunade ordered at spotting the Uchiha heir passing through the door.

Sasuke glared at the former Hokage but didn't budge. "Naruto, you're needed at the Hokage tower. Make a clone!"

"But! But my baby girl is about to arrive!" The seventh Hokage whined.

"I know, that's why. Make a clone. Trust me!" His best friend assured.

Naruto obeyed and Sasuke instantly grabbed the collar of the clone as soon as he puffed to life to drag him out of the room.

"Here's your Hokage for the Daimyo!" The Uchiha heir tossed the blond's clone towards the strategist. "We keep the real one. A copy wouldn't survive Sakura's strength."

The strategist glanced at the apologetic smile on the Hokage's clone, evaluating the risk of such a deception.

The sharingan user firmly crossed his arms in front of his chest. "Family first!" He declared with a tone which showed that it wasn't negotiable.

Shikamaru sighed. He would have to make the trick work. "See you tonight, Ino. Ah – and don't force yourself!" He said while gently caressing her belly. "It would be bad if you gave birth prematurely. I am really busy at the office."

Ino pouted at her husband as he left with the clone. She had wanted him to gush and fuss around her like she had seen Naruto do to Sakura. But no! Her husband had to be busy and pragmatic. Sure he was caring in his own way… however, was it really too much to ask for more exuberance about her pregnancy?

Sasuke walked back to retrieve Naruto's son from the pregnant blonde. The green eyed baby was patting one of Ino's generous boobs inside her neckline as he generally did with his mother.

"Shina." Sasuke called the ten month baby and the blond child waved his hands at seeing the familiar dark haired man.

"You can leave him with me." Ino offered.

"Shina prefers to be with me." Sasuke stated simply, the baby passing without reluctance into his arms. He looked down at his nephew cradled against him and the beginnings of a small smile grew at the corner of his mouth as the child giggled at him.

 **THE END**

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 **THANK YOU TO ALL THOSE WHO HAVE SUPPORTED ME AND ENCOURAGED ME!**

 **I would have certainly dropped this story without you. Thank you to have gave me the strength to write it to the end and share it with you. You don't know how precious you are to me.**

 **THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!**

 **I hope you have liked this last chapter and that you will tell me what you think of it.**

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 **SPECIAL THANKS TO ALL MY BETA READERS WHO HELPED ME MAKE THIS STORY POSSIBLE**

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 **GOOD BYE MY DEAR READERS**


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